Nothing Is What It Seems To Be
by suedesigns101
Summary: Twists and Turns, Think you know who is who and what is what?  Preconceived notions can lead you astray
1. Chapter 1

Nothing Is What It Seems To Be

I have been watching her for years. Privately rejoicing in her accomplishments and successes, cringing at her near catastrophic escapades. I love her beyond all reason…I have killed for her to keep her safe. I live in the fear that one day I will lose her forever just as I have lost another I have loved - to death.

I present one face to the public and my family about my feelings for her. My public persona has been looked at with great disdain, stories are spread about me and my treatment of her. I have been portrayed as having an addiction. None of this is true even though it has been printed. My father once told me "don't believe anything you read and only half of what you see." In my case and my treatment of Steph it is "don't believe anything you read and especially not what you see and hear."

The stories about me are escalating at such a rapid rate I find the burden of them almost intolerable and have trouble distancing myself in my mind from them so that I can continue on my quest to protect her and guide her. I have to remind myself that I have by my actions and deeds created this illusion that I don't care. I alone bear this responsibility.

I found out today that one person has seen through my disguise…now I have to come clean and explain to them the reasons for my actions.

It was 4 a.m. and I was fixing a pot of coffee when there was a light knock on the door.

"I've been expecting you. Would you like some coffee or tea Ricardo? Have you had breakfast?" He accepted the coffee but turned down breakfast. We sat there quietly sipping our coffee staring at each other in the quiet of the morning.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why would you mislead Steph on how you feel about her?"

"Why would you say and do the things you do to constantly hurt her?"

"Why would you push her away?"

"Please explain this to me because, for the life of me, I have tried to understand your actions."

"How much time do you have? It's a long story and to fully understand it I would have to start at the very beginning."

"Mrs. Plum, for Stephanie I have all the time in the world to hear your explanation."


	2. Chapter 2

Nothing Is What It Seems To Be

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: The Plum Series belongs to JE I'm just borrowing and playing with them.

Thanks to Financebabe for all her support and encouragement while I wrote this story.

"Ricardo, Frank is away on a two week Alaskan fishing trip with Joe Juniak and a couple of other friends. Please make yourself comfortable."

And so I began telling him my story…

"The name I was born with was Jennifer Helen Bell. My mother and father were Joan and Kirk Bell aka Joan and Kirk Smith, Jane and Ken Bates, Jean and Kent Bale, Jan and Keith Burke and the list goes on and on. I can trust you with this because of your security clearances. I am many things Ricardo but, a simple housewife from the Burg is not one of them."

"My mother and father worked as undercover operatives for the CIA and sometimes crossing over to NSA depending on the mission. My mother's identical twin sister is Edna Mazur. My parents loved me very much and provided a loving if somewhat unconventional upbringing. I lived 2 lives, one with my parents traveling the world and one as the perfectly behaved child of Herb and Edna Mazur here in the Burg."

"In essence, my mother and father and my aunt and uncle, for all practical purposes shared custody of me. During the school year I was raised by my aunt and uncle and on summer vacation and school breaks I was raised by my mother and father unless they were on a mission. I was raised by the two most loving sets of parents and had a childhood that was absolutely wonderful. I had every opportunity available to me. My aunt and uncle who I also called Mom and Dad supposedly sent me to 'camp' during the summers and school breaks."

"As I got older my parents trained me to shoot guns, learn self defense and a little hobby of lock picking, picking pockets and my personal favorite- bomb building. We used to call it my "finishing school" my Dad would tell me if anyone hurt me I could 'finish' them off."

"When I was about 8 years old my Mom and Dad started to teach me a game about codes using the alphabet. I loved it and couldn't get enough. At first, we used pen and paper and my Dad would send me messages in code in their letters to me when they were on assignment. Simple things like"be sure to wear your mittens when you go ice skating….tell Mom E and Dad H to take you to see the new Disney Film - popcorn is on us."

"As I got older the codes became more difficult. When I was twelve I excelled in math and realized one day that I could see codes in numbers. So, I jokingly sent my Mom and Dad a letter totally in a numeric code that I had written. I was scheduled to go to 'camp' for the summer. Mom E and Dad H drove me up to a secluded cabin at Lake Hopatcong for a wonderful family reunion. I could be with both sets of parents for a short time. It never ceased to amaze me how much my Moms were alike, not only in looks, but they finished each others sentences, we would all laugh because more than likely the two of them had bought the same exact clothes."

"No, Ricardo not string bikinis, tube tops or fishnet stockings."

"The night we arrived we were sitting at the dinner table and my Dad asked me about the letter I had sent them. I laughed and asked if they could 'read' it. My Dad looked at me and said it took Mom and him 2 days to break the code I had designed and No, I could not wear makeup or date till I was 30. The conversation took a serious tone and they asked me how serious I would be to learn about alpha numeric codes or did I just want to use it for pure enjoyment. I looked at the four most important people in my life and asked why I couldn't have it both ways - serious and fun. I couldn't stop even if I wanted to I can't stop…numbers make patterns in my head. I can memorize phone numbers because they make patterns, for example, the phone number we had in Washington when I was six was 555 3319 3 5's plus and add on 3x3x1=9. From that summer on, my parents sent me every book and article on codes."

"For birthday and Christmas presents they would send me early encryption machines. On vacations they would arrange for me to study with the leading cryptologists in the world working for the United States. It might only be for an afternoon or for a couple of weeks in the summer. I was a 'sponge' I couldn't get enough."

"Other girls my age were worrying about boys, dates, hair and make up. I was worrying about an iterated block cipher that encrypts a plaintex block. Then one day I did discover boys and WOW right there and then , I realized they had their own code that had to be deciphered! I devoted a lot of time studying my new subject. I had three best friends in high school - Lisa, Angie and Mary Beth. Every afternoon we met and studied beauty magazines. We tried all types of beauty treatments with and without success. Happiness was braces being removed, contacts in place and a rinse from Mom's beauty shop after my misadventure with household hydrogen peroxide. Orange and green hair is not a good look for a brunette who wanted "sun kissed highlights like the magazine promised" I also had to have my hair cut short since the household iron was to hot when I tried to straighten my curly hair.(the Barbie look was in -I had the long legs but nothing else)"

"We devoted hours to laying in the sun, coated with baby oil mixed with iodine to get a deeper tan. My Hungarian genes left me with sun poisoning, blisters and freckles which I still have. Mary Beth, Angie and Lisa turned a lovely golden brown."

"We dated in groups and individually. Lisa had a steady boyfriend and I preferred to sample all varieties in my study of the male code. Angie wasn't allowed to date. Mary Beth dated John Morelli for about 3 dates. On the third date she showed up at my house about midnight with her clothes torn. She was afraid to go home. She talked to my Mom and Dad. Dad left and Mary Beth stayed the night -she never told me what happened that night, I am not naïve but, I respect and love her to much to press her on this. Mary Beth and I are still best friends, she's Mary Lou's mother. Best friends having daughters that are best friends.

"When I was 16, 17 and 18 I worked at a 'lab' in Maryland and Washington. I had my first experience working with computers and encryption. Oh, I was so hooked! I went to college and graduated in 2 years from MIT with my Bachelors two years later I had my Masters from Johns Hopkins. I planned on continuing with my education while working for the government. I was on the cutting edge of using and developing computer technology in my field. I had a wonderful job as a cryptologist in DC working for NSA. I shared an apartment with Lisa and we had a great social life. I was meeting new men and Lisa was serious with her boyfriend from high school. He was quiet but, they were devoted to each other and Lisa and I were secretly looking at brides magazines and she was daydreaming he would ask her to marry him. Mary Beth and I were going to be bridesmaids."

"I knew Mom and Dad were on a mission. I hadn't heard from them in weeks and no arrangements had been made for the Christmas holidays. This in itself was not unusual. I had learned to be flexible and how to pack a bag to leave at the last minute. If they couldn't make it home I knew I would have a wonderful Christmas with my 'other' parents in the Burg."

Helen's blackberry beeped and she looked at it. She called up thesteps "Get ready" and walked back to the kitchen. Grandma walked into the kitchen and said to Ricardo "I'm so happy for you to be let in on our secret. I am not a batty, lecherous old woman as I have had to portray. Although, I will tell you I have had more fun tormenting Lester than any one woman should be allowed. He really spices up my rather boring life and Helen and I pass many minutes thinking up new things for me to do to him. The other Merry Men give me a lot of laughs when I walk by and they try to avoid any contact with me and my evil pinching fingers, which to be honest I have only used 3 times to gain my reputation." With that said she clamped a baseball hat on backwards, slipped into white Boots with tassels gave Ricardo a wink and went to the front door with Helen.

Steph pulled up in a cloud of smoke and Grandma Mazur pranced out the door squealing about a new viewing, she pointed at the Black SUV and wiggled her hips and screamed 'Is that you Lester?' and Helen standing on the front porch yelling 'Why Me! Stephanie you be sure to pick her up after church and take her to the funeral home and whatever you do don't let her open the casket!'

Helen walked back into the kitchen opened up the pantry door and took out the bottle of Seagrams got two glasses and ice and said " Ricardo would you like some ice tea?" She started to laugh "It's always been tea I keep in the pantry with a miniature bottle of Seagrams next to it so I can dab a little on my lips when I imbibe at family dinners. I wish I did drink, it would make it easier to endure St. Valerie and the clown."

Ricardo looked at Helen and said to her "Mrs. Plum I think you are like Steph - I get the feeling you never disappoint. Can you explain to me why your blackberry just beeped and you knew Steph was on her way?"

"Ricardo, you have your spy systems and I have mine - I'm not giving away all my secrets today."


	3. Chapter 3

Nothing Is What It Seems To Be

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: JE owns them, I play with them.

"Before I continue Ricardo do you have anything you would like to ask me?"

"Mrs. Plum, you have no idea what I want to ask you - even though you have not told me why you have treated Steph the way you have I have a feeling it isn't anything like I imagined it. I have so many questions now I don't even know what to ask first."

"Why don't you start calling me Helen -Ricardo. I think when you hear the whole story you and I are going to disagree on some things I have done but you will probably realize it was done with love and dedication to keep Steph safe. You and I have worked together on keeping Steph safe and many other things."

"What other things Helen? I can't imagine working with you and not knowing it!"

"All in good time Ricardo …All in good time! Now why don't I continue with my story."

"On December 18th I was getting ready to leave work when a Special Courier knocked on my door. He handed me a small package, I recognized my Mom's handwriting. I couldn't wait to open it, in it I found a letter that was in the code I had developed when I was twelve. This wasn't unusual. We often used the code just because they were so proud of me and how I had developed it at such an early age. They had shown it to a couple of their friends and none of them had been able to crack it. My Dad thought it was hysterical that their best friend Pete, who was one of the best, took weeks looking at it before he gave up and told them and me 'it was gibberish' Pete was a lot younger than my parents so I constantly tormented him by sending him notes in it. He would always send the notes back with 'BRAT' written on them."

"As I sat down to read my letter I saw my world crashing down around me.

My Dad told me he felt he and my mom's cover had been blown. He was in the process of getting them out of England and hoped they would be home for Christmas. They would meet me at the cabin on December 23rd. I was to use the procedure that they had developed for me and Mom E and Dad H to insure it was safe."

"He went on with his usual instructions about the 'what if' scenario that we had gone over in the past couple of years. I was to take the key that was included with the letter and go to a safe deposit box where I would find further instructions. He ended the letter with telling me again how much they loved me and how proud they were of me and they would see me on the 23rd but to be extra careful. He was sending Pete to watch over me."

"I just sat there - we had scares before but it had always turned out all right.

There was a knock at the door and I checked through the peephole and it was Pete. I opened the door with a big smile and when he turned around and looked at me I knew. It wasn't going to be all right this time. I looked past him and there was Mom E and Dad H. Mom E had tears streaming down her face and took me into her arms."

"Pete told me that their cover had been blown and they had been killed in a small hamlet in the English countryside. It was made to look like a murder suicide. The United States government could not acknowledge anything publicly. But, Pete assured me, everything was being done to find out who had killed my parents. He promised me if it took him till his last dying breath he would find the bastards who had done this and he would never stop looking. He had promised my Mom and Dad years ago that he would always watch my back…and he did. After the initial shock and funerals I started asking questions. Of course, I didn't get many answers. I went to the safe deposit box for the papers and instructions. I was a very wealthy young woman. I took a leave of absence and rented an office in Trenton and moved back home temporarily and leased all the equipment I need to start."

"I started my own search using the small amount of information my Dad and Mom had sent me in the letter. I followed the money trail at first. I had developed the encryption code the banks used so it was not hard for me to find the first person I needed to 'talk' with. I called Pete and we left for England the next day. I told everyone I was leaving for England just to see where my parents had died. I called my supervisor at the NSA, they all

understood my need for closure and I had their full support. Pete and I found my person of interest and after Pete's 'persuasion' we were given two more names. I had returned to work. For the next 3 years Pete and I crossed the globe on our quest. I would take a couple of days off under the guise of attending seminars on my specialty. We got more and more information and left behind a trail of 'accidents' to the people we interviewed. We never found the person at the head of the operation but, we never stopped looking."

"You know what Ric - I think we both need a break. Would you like to see my office?" I know he was thinking a small bedroom that I played around with. Men! They have no imagination-he was in for a surprise! I stood up and walked to the basement door and started down the steps. Watch your head I didn't build this stairway for somebody as tall as you -duck your head at the bottom of the steps. Now most basements in the Burg have dirt floors and mine did for an area at the bottom measuring about 6' by 6'. After that it was concrete. "You see Ric I wanted anyone who looked down not to see anything different than any other Burg Basement. Valerie and Steph never came down here, because on nights when they were little I came down here to work after they were asleep, they heard noises and convinced themselves the basement was creepy and had monsters."

Ric followed me over to the wall that was covered with heavy metal doors. I walked over to a panel and opened it entered a series of numbers, next screen I entered another complex set of letters and numbers. The doors slid back and opened up on my collections of weapons. He stood there with his mouth open. Some were antique Civil war muskets that Dad H collected along with antique side arms from the Civil War up to World War II. The rest of the weapons were mostly my Dad and Mom's, there were sniper rifles, side arms, and grenade launchers, and my Dad's little flamethrower he had affectionately painted on the name "Rosie". I asked him the reason for the name and he would never answer and my Mom would smile a little Mona Lisa smile.

"Helen, I am a quiet man that hardly ever says a word but, you have me

Fffnnng speechless. My guys would love to see this. You have history sitting here, plus your own armory if war breaks out in the Burg. Hector would be jealous!" He pointed to another metal door that didn't open.

"Ricardo - I'll show you what's in there later."

"Ric you haven't seen anything yet." I walked over to the common wall between the duplexes. I opened another panel and the doors slid back and opened to the basement of the duplex next door and my 'office'. "I own the duplex next door and rent the top floor out. Mrs. Dietz used to live here but she had a hard time making ends meet so I bought it from her and let her live here till she died. Frank, doesn't know about this. It's owned by a corporation I set up. I've kept this from Frank because he couldn't comprehend all of this. I manage our money and we live on his salary. He thinks that I clip coupons for a past time. The money I make from my 'freelancing' has been invested. But, that explanation will be coming in a little while."

"Now I provide a place to stay for visiting agents that need my assistance. They exit through a tunnel that comes out in a garage one block over. My housekeeper who takes care of my house and this side lives on the top floor.

She is who you see entering and exiting the front door."

I am speechless. My mind is going 900 mph I don't even know where to begin. All I know right now is that I am standing in one of the largest computer labs with all kinds of equipment that I have no idea what it is or what it does. I'm still on overload from the weapons Helen has. A historian would have a field day. Hector would be speechless in English and Spanish -could Hector be related to Helen since their fascination and hobbies are identical(just kidding.)

"Ricardo? Do you want to test your systems? Want me to ping them a little and see what happens? I promise I won't invade anything although I could if I wanted to but I wouldn't. However, one of my 'assistants' tried but I cut him off at the knees" she said laughing - "you might know him…Randy Biggs…"

I being the smug bastard that I am, took her challenge. I've had my systems designed by the best and gave her permission to try. She started keyboarding faster than I have ever seen and then hit the command and the screen went wild.

"Good" she said "it stopped me there…and there…blocked me there"

…I started to grin HA there Mrs. Plum.

"There you go Ricardo I'm in and here is Hector on board now blocking me…take that Hector…."

My cell phone is going Nuts. I pick it up "Report"

It's Hector "Our systems are under attack. I am blocking at every turn

Should I shut down and switch…to.."

Helen shakes her head and enters a code.

Hector got on the phone again and is pissed and I do mean PISSED

"What do you mean Ranger This was a test! It's going across the computer screen with fireworks going off! Who do you have testing me because this was not an in house test and even if it was you or Tank don't have the knowledge to pull this off. They broke through all our firewalls."

"Hector, how would you like it if I could arrange for you to meet the person who did the test?"

"Ranger, I would give you a months salary for that privilege."

"I'll see what I can do"

Helen turned to me and said "Rrrranger don't be so cocky I just might steal Hector from you…he will probably love playing with all these toys….Oh by the way it was my corporation and my experts that set up your original system. I designed it. I do love having people underestimate me."

I looked at Ricardo and said "Do you know Hans Schmidt?"

His blank face fell into place.

"Ricardo, you were given a mission 6 months ago and the amount of your fee was 3 million dollars." I saw the merest flicker in his eyes not much but a flicker still. We walked back from my computer room and I sealed the doors. "You were given instructions by General Hanlon to terminate Herr Schmidt and were told to say the word 'Nightingale' when you killed him. You were also offered a bonus of 1 million dollars if you brought back a small pearl handled gun with a rose etched into the handle." His eyes widened slightly. "You brought back that gun after you set fire to Herr Schmidt's home and destroyed the rest of his gun collection."

While I was talking I was putting the code into the last cabinet that Ricardo had asked about. I opened up the cabinet and pulled the pearl handled gun out of my pocket. I withdrew a velvet covered tray from the shelf and placed it on the table in the room. "This is the gun you brought back from Germany." I uncovered the tray and on it was a matching gun. "The gun you brought back was my mother's, it is the exact match of this gun. My father had them made for my Mom and I for the last Christmas we spent together. Thank you Ricardo." I had tears streaming down my face "You have avenged my parents death and brought home something that will give me peace." He reached out and wrapped me in his arms.

He asked me how I had found out about Schmidt after all these years. I told him Pete was on an undercover assignment in Germany and had been invited to a cocktail party. Schmidt was showing off his gun collection and Pete recognized the pearl handled gun. He had been with my Dad when he had ordered them. That's why I wanted the gun collection destroyed so that if someone had heard the conversation and noticed that the gun was missing they might have been able to point out Pete. I would never risk Pete. I moved out of his arms, wiped my eyes.

"The reason you were told to say 'Nightingale' was because it was my mother's codename for the assignment they were on. My father wrote me about that mission and their codenames in the letter he had sent by courier… When you said 'Nightingale' right before you killed that bastard it was to let him know you were avenging my mother and fathers death."

"Schmidt had a lot of money spread over the world. I used my codes and transferred all his assets. In essence, he had donated all of his money to various hospitals all over the globe for the care of children. St Judes, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins Kennedy Krieger in Baltimore, Maryland were a few of the beneficiaries of the funds. The amount of the donations totaled just over 50 million dollars."

Ricardo said to me "Your parents would be so proud, your daughters would be proud also if they knew."


	4. Chapter 4

Nothing Is What It Seems To Be

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: JE owns them I get to take them out to play

"Come on Ric, let's go up and get some lunch. We should have plenty of time before Steph brings my Mom home. If you don't want to see Steph you can come down and play with the guns while she is here. She won't be here long. I have it planned that Angie Morelli might drop over for coffee - that will set Steph running! Oh, by the way, Angie and I were best friends in high school and are still very good friends."

Helen placed a salad of field greens and grilled chicken in front of me with a cruet of balsamic vinegar. Then she let the first zinger go…

"Ricardo, I need to know what your intentions are regarding my daughter. I am fully prepared to continue with my explanation but, I need to know how you feel about Steph and please don't give me that bullshit about your life not lending itself to relationships. I have just spent over 7 hours explaining part of my very complex life and how I have fit all the relationships together in it. So save the bullshit - this is the real deal and you have to own up to a very dangerous mother. I can promise you - you don't want **ME** messing in your life, you just came from a little demonstration of what I can and will do. You are a babe in the woods compared to me and the power I yield. So I repeat the bullshit stops here."

"Helen, I love Stephanie. I have never had a relationship with another woman like I have with Steph. I want her in my future, I want her as my wife and I want her to be the mother of my children as long as that is what she wants. But, first I have to know where she stands with Morelli. I am done with mandated government contracts. My contract is fulfilled - it ended with Herr Schmidt. I can choose my missions now if I want them. But, I won't pursue a relationship and watch her run back to Morelli with your encouragement. I'm tired of watching you push this relationship with Morelli till Steph is half crazy with the pressure you exert on her."

"Don't misjudge me Helen - I will be a worthy adversary if that is what you want - I too have a great sphere of influence."

"I really like you Ricardo, it's good to know you have finally pulled your head out of your ass concerning my daughter. You're not afraid to stand your ground with me - it's going to take a strong man to stand beside my little girl. That's all I need to know - now I will finish my story."

"I married Frank when I was 24. Frank is a good man, he is honest, faithful, quiet, and trustworthy. I needed a man exactly like him. Everyone in the Burg, with the exception of Mary Beth thinks that Valerie is my child. Valerie is Frank's daughter from his first marriage. Valerie's mother died in childbirth. Frank couldn't cope after Lisa's death and didn't know what to do with an infant. Lisa, his wife, was my best friend. I had been a bridesmaid in their wedding. They were living in Maryland at the time I lived in the same apartment complex. Frank and I decided to get married. It wasn't a romantic decision, it was a practical solution. Valerie need a mother and I needed to help take care of Lisa's child. The man I did love refused to include me in his life. Marrying Frank gave me protection in that it covered me from my past pursuit of my parent's killers. No one would suspect the boring girl from the Burg who worked as a 'secretary.'

"We married when the war in Vietnam was in full swing. They had the draft back then. When Frank got his notice to report he went for the physical and was declared 4F. This meant he could never serve his country because he had a heart defect, not life threatening but not acceptable to be in the Army."

"When I heard the rumors and stories recently that he was being portrayed as an officer in the service, a Ranger, a Black Ops operator - code name Havoc or a war hero I was flabbergasted. Frank's skill with a weapon of his choice is his knife and his victim is his twice a week pot roast. His focus is so great he does not lift his eyes from his victim till it is dead and drowned in a sea of brown gravy. Frank is a good man and through the years we have learned to love each other. He loves our girls. Frank is content working in the Post Office."

"We moved back to New Jersey when I got pregnant. My pregnancy was horrible. I had morning sickness all day - everyday for the whole 9 I was 3 months pregnant I had an emergency appendectomy. Six months later I had an emergency C section. I woke up in the intensive care unit with the doctor and Frank standing beside me. Frank was crying. We had twins, our baby son didn't survive but Stephanie had. The doctors explained she was a miracle. There would be no more babies for me and Frank. Frank was devastated, he had lost his love Lisa in childbirth and his son with me. Steph was the most beautiful baby I had ever see. Porcelain skin, a light covering of brown curls and the most amazing blue eyes. She was also the terror of the newborn nursery. She screamed all day - not a whimper - but a loud, angry and demanding scream. I didn't care. I loved her and was fiercely protective. When she was 4 days old we were still in the hospital when William was buried. I never got a chance to see him, hold him but, oh how I loved that little boy. Even in my joy with Stephanie my arms were empty and my heart was breaking. After the service our priest came to me in the hospital. He brought me peace with the words to comfort a grieving mother. William would be Stephanie's guardian angel, she would never be alone, she would be protected and he would whisper in her ear to guide her and keep her safe. William would certainly earn his wings protecting his sister. Stephanie has my instincts but she also has William watching out for her. She calls it her "Spidey Sense" I know it is her brother's whispers."

"Ricardo, I'm going to give you a glimpse into Steph as a baby. She rolled over at 3 weeks. The pediatrician didn't believe me till he saw her do it at her 1 month check up. She crawled at 5 months and could crawl up steps. I found this out when I put her on a blanket in the living room, went to get her bottle. I returned to the living room to find Valerie pointing up the steps. There she was at the top of the steps looking down with a big smile. At 9 months she took off on a run one day. There was no holding on to furniture, faltering steps - just stood up and took off running."

I stopped my story and looked up at Ricardo and the smile on his face. All he said to me was..

"What happened? I can't talk her into running now unless I bribe her with Boston Crème doughnuts."

I smiled as I refilled his coffee cup..

"Bribery is good for Steph. Why do you think I bake so many pineapple upside down cakes."

"Steph learned to do midair summersaults by bouncing on her bed. I enrolled her in gymnastics at the age of 4. Child protective services had been called by the emergency room doctors. The clerk in the emergency room didn't need to see our medical cards, they knew our number by heart. Steph knew the name of every orderly, nurse and doctor. Luckily for me, the caseworker was in our house investigating when Steph wearing her baby blanket as a cape attempted to fly down the banister and do a midair flip into the foyer. She did not do a graceful dismount and with the speed she had picked up she plastered herself to the wall looking like a Garfield stuffed animal stuck on a window. As I picked her up she kept mumbling 'It's not my fault Mommy it was my blankies fault' This time the caseworker accompanied us to the ER and verified she had seen for herself our little daredevil in action. The investigation was completed and closed."

She was a challenging child. I loved her spirit and zest for life. Her spirit that so closely resembled mine. No matter what I asked her to do she would always do it 'My way Mommy my way' or when havoc reigned as a result of doing it her way 'It's not my fault Mommy'

I met Ricardo's eyes and he told me "Something's never change."

"When she was six, Joey Morelli dared her to a game of 'choo choo' in his garage. Never one to turn down a challenge she followed him. Valerie came running home and told me. I ran down the alley and into the garage to find Joey under her pinafore with his hands going where they shouldn't. This was not a case of 'doctor' you show me yours and I'll show you mine.'

I dragged him into his house to Angie. It was the middle of the afternoon. I didn't think that bastard of a husband of hers, John, would be home.

I knew he hit her but, in my naivety I didn't imagine he would hit his little boy. While I was telling Angie about what happened he came into the room. I could smell the alcohol and I saw Angie's face. I looked at Joey - I saw fear, he stood there backed up against the wall and wet his pants. God Help me-I was so afraid of this man as he staggered up to me with his fist raised yelling - I picked up Steph and ran out the door. In my fear to get my baby away from this man I didn't think to grab Joey. I will never get over hearing the screams from that house and my guilt. Joey was out of school for 10 days. When he returned he had a broken arm and a broken look in his eyes.

I looked at Ricardo - "I pray to God for forgiveness for being such a coward that day. I didn't protect Joey."

"Stephanie loved heights, the higher the better. Somewhere between 6 and 8 Steph decided she was Wonder Woman. She would sit for hours on the peak of the garage roof with a pillowcase clothespinned to her shirt staring off into the distance. The baby blanket had been put in her dresser when she figured it was the reason for her flying failures. I had given up trying to stop her from climbing on the garage roof but I would station myself looking out the kitchen window. One summer afternoon I was praying for an answer on how to get Steph to cooperate and praying for patience if she didn't. I saw her stand up and look down and then she started to talk to someone. I ran out the door yelling at Steph to sit down and then I heard Joey Morelli say…

"You can't fly you are a girl -only boys can fly"

"Uh Oh…never let it be said Steph ever turned down a dare especially from Joey. Before I could utter another sound she shouted 'I can to fly!'

She took off at a run and flew for about 5 seconds and then crashed to the ground. Joey ran like hell from the yard. She had knocked herself unconscious and had a compound fracture of her right arm. This resulted in her first hospital stay and the beginning of her lifelong hatred of hospitals. All my baby kept saying to me was 'Mommy I did fly but, it wasn't long enough'."

I looked up at Ricardo when I heard him laugh out loud. I had seen him smirk, I had seen a simple tiny lift of his lips that resembled a smile but, I had never heard him laugh much less a belly laugh that had his shoulders shaking. I guess I looked shocked and I just stared at him. When he got himself under control he told me he had always wondered where her aversion to hospitals started. But, he was sorry to inform me that her love of flying had intensified and she was now a member of the Rangeman parachuting team and competed nationally. She was one of the top women in the country for doing freefalls and acrobatics in the air.

Dear God in heaven, things turned dark. I saw spots and then everything was black. When I came to I was shaking, that little piece of knowledge had escaped my spying. After I was able to pull myself together, Ricardo told me he and his team had over 2000 jumps a piece and were certified instructors. They taught Steph to "fly" but to this day they personally packed her chute and checked all her equipment. They weren't willing to take a chance on her packing her own chute.


	5. Chapter 5

Nothing Is What It Seems To Be

Chapter 5

J. E. owns them

"Well, Ricardo would you like to hear more?"

"Absolutely"

"Oh Good, are we having a one word conversation?"

"Affirmative"

I looked at him and his eyes were crinkled and he was smiling "Are you playing, Ricardo?"

"Yes"

"Are you enjoying this?"

"Positively"

"Anything else you would like to know in particular?"

"I want to know everything about Babe that you are willing to share"

"Thirteen Words Ricardo - that must have been a real strain for you"

A full smile and "Helen, has anyone ever told you are a smart ass?"

"Pete has on occasion."

"I discovered a new activity of Steph's one night when I was sitting on the back steps looking at the stars. I was remembering my mother and father pointing out the different constellations on a camping trip in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The stars seem so much closer there. Since that time I have made a habit of de stressing by staring at the stars."

"Steph had learned how to shimmy down the drainpipe outside the bathroom window, it was even more entertaining to see her shimmy back up. But, that first night I followed her at a distance to see what she was up to. She skulked, yes, skulked out of the back yard and took off for Mary Lou's. Did she throw pebbles at Mary Lou's window **no**, did she whistle or attempt to make birdcalls **no**. Mary Lou's house was not brick like ours it was rough stone. So, my daring daughter toed and finger tipped her way up to Mary Lou's window and tapped on it. Mary Lou opened the window and Steph climbed in. Thirty minutes later she repeated the process down. Mary Lou exited from the front door - why didn't Steph do this-got me I haven't the faintest idea. Mary Beth and her husband weren't home, she certainly could have exited through the front door. Steph probably didn't even think about doing this the easy way maybe it was just about the challenge. The two of them went into the garage and smoked a couple of cigarettes. Then, they sprayed each other with perfume, I gather this was to cover up the smell of smoke."

"Steph started home, I ran down the alley and beat her to our house, waited in the shadows. Thirty minutes after she entered her room, I went up to say goodnight with Frank. Her room reeked of smoke. Frank kept asking what that awful smell was and told her to clean her room in the morning. I thought I saw her roll her eyes at her Dad. It wasn't till later that night that Frank asked me if one of us should talk to her about smoking. I volunteered that **he** do it. I seemed to be the one who was always raining on her parade and punishing her. Let him deal with Daddy's girl this time. Yeah, that was some lecture…Frank told her that cigarettes caused cancer and gave her an article from the paper to read. Daddy's girl all the way. Mom is the villain."

"The next day I called Mary Beth and told her about the girls. We laughed

We had done the same exact thing at about the same age. Our girls thought they were putting one over on us. It was good to know they didn't know of our other escapades. The next day I put sensors on the drainpipe outside the bathroom window. I also had Frank go up on a ladder every month and check and repair the loose drainpipe. He would grumble and mumble and wonder how it was the only drainpipe on the house that ever got loose. He believed the house was settling."

"Two weeks later on a Saturday afternoon Mary Beth got a call from Angie. The back of Angie's house faced the back of Mary Beth's house. It seems our girls were smoking again in Mary Lou's room and they were kneeling at the window and blowing the smoke out the window. Mary Beth called me and I went over with a fire extinguisher. We laughed silently and on the count of three we burst into the room yelling FIRE! Sprayed the fire extinguisher all over, covering the girls with foam. We made the girls clean up the mess and they were both grounded for a week with no phone calls allowed. It was a very long week for them and us. Who knew they could sulk like that!"

"Both Mary Lou and Steph were beautiful girls and were developing early. Mary Beth and I were not the only ones to notice. There was a lot of bicycle traffic in the alley. The parade was led usually by Joey Morelli, doing tricks no hands, hand stands and wheelies trying to impress and get noticed. The girls just ignored them. Thank God they would notice them soon enough."

"Valerie was 3 years older than Steph and she was allowed to double date. Her dates would stare at Steph and flirt. Steph would treat them like brothers and introduce her favorite topics - the Mets, the Jets and the Rangers. Pretty soon Steph was being treated like a little sister. The boys would stop dating Valerie. It is hard to date a Saint who had little to talk about except gossip but, they would come hang around with Steph and Mary Lou. One of Valerie's boyfriends hung around for a long time after he and Valerie broke up. Tom was a handsome young man, he was polite, well mannered and had one of the biggest smiles and laughed easily. One day I heard Steph and Mary Lou yelling in the back yard. I ran to see what was going on. Tom was beating Joey Morelli up. By the time I got outside Tom had Joey on the ground with his fist in Joey's face. All I heard was Tom say in a low voice 'If I ever catch you talking to Steph like that again you SOB you won't have any teeth Got It!' Tom came in the house and as I was cleaning his knuckles he told me he would watch out for Steph from now on. I shouldn't let Joey anywhere near her. 'Joey doesn't look at Steph the right way Mrs. Plum' I had seen the same look in Joey's eyes and it was disturbing."

"At 15 Mary Lou was dating Lenny. Steph didn't date much she preferred to go out in groups and all the boys that wanted to date Steph became her friends. I was grateful that Joe Morelli seemed to have moved on - his reputation was date a girl till he talked them into sex and then he would drop them. When Steph was 16 she was working in the Tasty Pastry. She was late coming home one night and went upstairs as soon as she got home. I went up and heard her crying. I knocked on her door and went in. I asked her what was the matter. Steph cannot look you in the eye and lie so, she didn't look at me and she told me she wasn't feeling well. I heard her talking to Mary Lou later that night. I called Mary Beth. She talked to Mary Lou the next day. Mary Lou can't lie to her mother - sure enough that little bastard Joe Morelli had gotten to Steph on the floor in the bakery and the rumor mill had it that he had left his 'triumph' written all over Trenton. Before I could get to him and arrange an accident to the manhood he so proudly bragged about, he had left for the Navy. Tom came by to talk to Steph along with Eddie, Carl, Big Dog and Lenny but she was in denial land. The boys went around Trenton and tried to remove as much of the graffiti as they could but the damage was done and now the Burg looked at Steph and labeled her a 'bad girl'."

I looked up at Ricardo who was just staring at me with fury in his eyes.

"I fixed that little bastard for 4 years. I changed his assignment and had him assigned to garbage detail on an aircraft carrier. I screwed with his pay. His leave accrual disappeared and he never got a promotion."

"The Navy has tunnel vision. If the computer says you have had leave - you have had leave. If he arranged for his pay to be deposited into his bank account I un-deposited it without leaving a trace. It would show the deposit when they checked. If he wanted it to be mailed to him the check would be cut but he never received it - if you ever need someone who can forge signatures Ricardo just give me a call. If Joe complained they would produce copies of his signed checks. The women's shelter of Trenton as well as House of Ruth had lovely monthly contributions for 4 years" I smiled at Ricardo.

"Two weeks after Joe was discharged from the Navy Steph ran him over with her Dad's Buick. She broke his leg in 2 places. Tom visited Joe in the hospital and 'convinced' Joe that he hadn't seen the driver of the car that hit him. Funny thing, Joe's leg had to be reset that night. There was a 3rd break that hadn't show up in the first ex rays."

Steph finished high school. She went to college where she did not set any fires with her academics. Since, I had been driven to complete school as fast as possible I had missed out on the social atmosphere. I was glad my girl was having a good time. Her brain wasn't going to go away it was taking a nap. Unfortunately, at this time she met 'the Dick' I wasn't paying close enough attention to this situation. I was involved in a big case with the NSA and threats against our nation's financial system. I was working night and day. Some days, I didn't get out of the basement office. Thank God for my Mom, she put on such a show that Frank nearly took up residence at the lodge to avoid her."

"Before, I knew it Steph was engaged to Dickie Orr. The wedding took on a life of its own with my Mom and Mrs. Orr as directors. I put on a smiling face and signed the checks. About 2 weeks before the wedding Lenny, Tom and Eddie paid me a visit. They were concerned that Dickie was taking the last days of his bachelorhood with way to much enjoyment."

"I called Pete who was invited to the wedding. I asked him to come early and set up surveillance. He brought all his equipment and rented a short term apartment. The wedding went off but Pete and I felt he should stick around. Dickie was a degenerate and a thief. Pete started keeping records and shooting pictures galore. I researched Dickie's finances. He was rotten. Although, he had an exclusive contract with the law firm he worked for he was doing 'consulting for the mob' I had the financial records from off shore accounts for that also. Working for the mob was definitely lucrative Dick had 7 million dollars stashed away. Pete and I met constantly and compiled a complete file."

"I personally like to call it the day the shit hit the fan. Dickie made it an early day (which I heard because I had wiretapped his phone) and took that whore Joyce to Steph's house. Pete had set up some cameras before they got there. I had him call Steph at work and pretend he was from the Gas company and ask her to come home because he needed access because of a suspected gas leak. I hated doing that to my baby but it was the only way to get her to leave him. She is loyal to a fault. She found them on the dining room table. She physically threw Joyce into the front yard naked as the day she was born. She took a rolling pin to the Dick. Note this is the only time Steph has ever touched a rolling pin. While he was unconscious she dragged him to the front yard."

"She then threw his clothes and possessions out of their second floor bedroom window. As she marched out of the house she bent every one of the golf clubs after she bashed his car with them. By this time Eddie, Carl and Big Dog, who were cops for the Trenton Police Department, had arrived after several telephone calls. They watched Steph throw the clubs on the pile and light a match. Eddie yelled out 'It will burn better Steph if you put some gasoline on that bon fire' Steph thanked him

Burg manners always be polite and went back to the Garage to get the gas can. Joyce was charged with indecent exposure, Dickie was charged with indecent exposure and having an unlicensed bon fire. Steph was not at the fire, it seems Tom who was on leave from the Navy received a call and he picked her up and took her to Pino's. Mr. Pino had heard about what had happened and had set all the clocks back one hour. Mary Lou and Lenny along with some more of the local cops had joined the party. Mary Lou took pictures making sure that the clock was always in the background."

"That night Mary Beth, Angie, Pete and Myself papered the town with Dickie and Joyce's picture on the dining room table. At 10 a.m. the next morning a file was delivered to the partners at the law firm that 'the Dick' worked for. He was fired at 11 a.m."

"The Trenton Public Library and the Police Boys and Girls Clubs received anonymous donations totaling 3.5 million dollars each."


	6. Chapter 6

Nothing Is What It Seems To Be

Chapter 6

JE owns them I play with them. Mary Beth and Tom are mine and I am keeping them

At 3p.m. Ricardo and I were still talking. Personally, I couldn't believe he was still here. We had covered a lot of ground concerning the past but, I still hadn't gotten to the reason he had come. He was being patient, but I knew he was also fascinated with me and what I have done in the past. He knew I had caused Joe 4 years of financial chaos. I think he also knew I was up to something in the future. I was getting to know Ricardo the man not the mercenary. Steph had chosen well.

My Blackberry beeped. "Well, Steph's on her way back what do you want to do?"

"I think I will stay - are you going to explain your early warning system yet?"

"Nope"

We heard the car rumble up, a car door slam 3 times before it closed and latched, then with a grinding of gears the car took off. We both just winced at the sound. The front door opened and my Mom walked in. "Whew, that car has to be worse than the last one and I didn't think that was possible."

"Helen, don't you have something to do upstairs for a few minutes?" There she is, my not so subtle mother has entered the building. I decided I better let her have a few minutes with Ricardo.

"Well, Ricardo now you know that I am not a sex crazed Senior citizen. I am almost 80 years old and I have seen and done a lot. I am going to give you some of the best advice you will ever receive. I want you to look around you and open your eyes"

"I don't understand. I am always aware of my surroundings."

"Okay, I will spell it out for you. Helen is a wonderful woman, she is loyal, faithful, loving , intelligent and devoted to those around her. She loves Frank but, she is not in love with Frank. Frank, is a devoted husband and father, steadfast, faithful and loyal. He loves Helen but isn't in love with her. They both did their best to keep a promise to Frank's wife and Helen's best friend Lisa. They raised and loved Valerie, love Steph and loved and mourned William."

"Helen has always been in love with Pete. Pete has always been in love with Helen. But, Pete didn't **do** relationships. He watched over her, protected her, encouraged her and stood side by side to bring justice to the killers of her mother and father and his friends and partners."

"He gave her everything she needed but himself. He watched her leave him for Frank because he thought that is what was best for her and he has stayed on the fringes of her life for over 30 years. Thirty years of the loving one another."

"Is this what you want …to be on the fringes of Steph's life! To watch her settle for someone and live a life without you? To have someone else's children and not your children? It is a lonely life Ricardo ask Pete. So, I say this with almost 80 years of life experience -**GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS**-and go and get my baby granddaughter, Love her, rejoice in that love and Thank God for it because not many people are fortunate enough to meet their soul mate."

" Now I've had my say and I am going up to take a nap because that is what old ladies do."

Helen walked back into the room "Well, I don't know what she wanted to tell you but, she seems satisfied with whatever it was. I hope you're okay with whatever it was, my mother doesn't feel at these point in her life the need to be diplomatic. I hope she didn't offend you."

"No, as a matter of fact Helen, she made things crystal clear to me. She is one smart lady."

The back door opened and Ricardo stiffened and reached for his gun. I waved him off. Mary Beth walked in with a big smile - "Hi Ya handsome! Just kidding, you are handsome but, you already knew that - it is very nice to meet you Mr. Manoso."

"I would like you to call me Ricardo. May I call you Mary Beth? I feel like I know you."

"Please do. Helen I brought the latest thing I made in my cooking class. It's caramel flan have you ever had it? Would you like some Ricardo?" A 1000 watt smile appeared -Mary Beth nearly fell over. "I would love some, flan is my favorite dessert."

My blackberry made a noise that sounded like raspberries being blown.

"Ricardo, Joe is about 3 blocks away. Mary Beth take Ricardo downstairs. I've show him the guns and my office."

"Okay Ricardo, what did you think of her workshop?"

"Mary Beth, I just said I showed him the guns and my office did I say the workshop?"

"No you didn't - sorry about that. Now, I get to show him the workshop?"

"Ricardo, Let Mary Beth show you the workshop. But, PROMISE ME you won't let her touch one thing - not one thing!"

"Rangers Honor Helen - not one thing."

"Good you would take your life in your hands if you do - do you have handcuffs on you?"

"Helen, I am not that bad"

"Mary Beth shall we talk about last Octobers incident, followed by December's incident or shall we discuss last week to name a few!"

"FINE! Ricardo please follow me - the little bastard should be pulling up out front any minute."

"Mary Beth I'd like to hear what is going on."

"Oh you can, come with me" she opened the doors to the office and then closed them. She had me sit down and turned on a monitor and speakers and I got to watch an amazing performance.

"Oh Joe! I'm so happy to see you. I just don't know what to do with Stephanie anymore. I've tried to show her the brides magazines you bought, I've scheduled fittings for the wedding dress you picked out. Stephanie didn't show up and didn't even call to let me know where she was. Why me? Why Me? Mrs. Robinson's daughter didn't do this. Mrs. Johnson's daughter made her own wedding dress and all the attendants all twelve of them! Why Me? What will the neighbors think?"

"Would you like some cake dear? How about a sandwich? Can I iron your shirt you look a little rumpled. A detective shouldn't be rumpled. Oh Dear Why Me?"

"Mrs. Plum, have you seen Steph today? She's not answering her cell phone." I noticed his fists clenching and his voice was lowering.

Helen's voice on the other hand was raising into a high pitch whine.

"She's with that Thug! I know she's with those Thugs." She turned and winked to the camera. Then reached for the bottle of Seagrams in the pantry.

"Joseph! She's driving me to drink. Why Me? Dear Lord Why Me. What will the neighbors think?"

Joe beat a path to the front door and let it slam behind him.

Helen looked into the camera, smiled holding up the Seagrams bottle and asked if we wanted iced tea. She then said "That's why I deserve an acting award and why I get paid the big bucks."

Helen came downstairs.

"That was some performance Helen. I don't think I've ever been called a thug that I could hear anyway. We were so busy watching that Mary Beth hasn't show me your workshop." Now if this would have been hours ago I would have thought hammer, saw, screwdriver but, now knowing what I know I was looking forward to seeing her workshop.

Helen opened up another set of doors this one with an eye scanner. We entered what appeared to be a concrete bunker about 12' x 20'. Which evidently went out under the back yard. I thought I had seen everything with her gun collection. She had a frigging bomb making lab, C4, timers, switches, wires everything you needed was all right here.

"Mrs. Plum why do you have a bomb lab?"

"I told you Ricardo my father taught me -Mary Beth PUT THAT DOWN! How to make bombs and that I loved it! I just make a few incendiary devices once in a while."

Mary Beth snickered "yeah once in a while."

"Mary Beth shall we talk about last month? Hmmmmm."

"Okay Ladies! Let's go upstairs for some flan and you can fill me in on October, December, last month and last week."

Mary Beth gave a dirty look at Helen and left. I waited for Helen to lock up.

I said to Helen "I think this explanation is going to be interesting."

She just smiled.

"We will start with last October. Ricardo, did you know that Mary Beth is aReal estate agent? Well, she is and six months ago she list a property. The building Steph lives in. Since I haven't been able to get her to move. I bought the building. I intended to fix it up, make it more secure for everyone and tweak it a little bit more for Steph. By owning the building, if Steph gets behind in rent she won't be thrown out on the street and she won't be threatened with eviction when cars get blown up or her apartment gets firebombed. She can maintain her independence. The plan was that Angie was going to pick Steph's lock and let Mary Beth in with a small(tiny) incendiary device that I made. Mary Beth on the other hand believes that bomb making and cake baking are alike and she never can leave a recipe alone. She always has to add a little something extra."

Helen glared at Mary Beth "well unbeknownst to me she added a pinch of this and that to my device. I arranged for a free dinner for all the residents at Rosini's compliments of the new owners and hired a bus to pick them up. I had arranged for Steph to take Grandma to the Mall. I put your cameras on a feed that only showed empty hallways and apartment. By the way Ricardo I dismantled the cameras you have planted in her apartment most specifically her bedroom - no fair for you and your men to be peeping toms with my baby. Shame on you."

"Angie followed directions and got them in the apartment and Mary Beth set the device. I had designed it so it would start a very small fire and burn itself out causing only smoke damage. My good friend had added her pinches, put the device on the gas stove instead of where I told her. That is why Steph's apartment totally blew up and took the apartment to each side and the one over and under her out."

"My friends the 'contractors' poured concrete floors, walls and ceilings with fire extinguishers built in, bullet proof glass in all the windows, The fire escape was moved. You my dear boy, put in the state of the art security system with only 1 camera on the outside of her state of the art, bullet proof door that cannot be kicked in or locks picked. The fire escape was moved A 40 foot ladder was anchored on the floor in her bedroom - if god forbid she tries to cook and sets the place on fire. I also put in a new bathroom to get rid of that ugly orange and brown."

"I didn't put in a security system or camera"

"No, Ricardo I did it for you. I'll send you the frequencies and then I will activate it for you."

"Helen wouldn't it have been easier to buy her a condo or house?"

"How would I explain having the money for that Ricardo? I learned my lesson with Valerie. St. Valerie(yes I know how Steph refers to her) and the clown needed a new house so I 'arranged' for them to be winners in a contest. The prize was $150,000. I waited to hear from them figuring they would be so excited that they could use it to buy a new house. I heard nothing, finally after 2 days I checked it out. That idiot Clown took the $150,000 and invested it with a con man he was representing for bilking money out of people. You got it, the next day the money and the con man were gone. When I asked Valerie about it she placidly said - her cuddly umpkins (gag) is such a trusting man. He knows that the con man will show up when the investment pays off." We all burst out laughing. "The girls will all have trust funds as will the Saint & Clown, they will be administered by my trusted lawyer. They will never have access to money on their own again."

"Ric, last month may not be Mary Beth's fault. I still haven't figured out what **exactly **happened. The car that Steph was driving then was 10 times the POS that she regularly drives. I had Big Blue retrofitted and it really was a tank now. It was totally bulletproof and bombproof, cripes the President's car isn't as safe as Big Blue when my guys got done with it. So, I decided it was time to send Steph's car to car heaven."

"I designed a new bomb, this one in theory, would implode. With the charges set right in their proper place the car would implode and no one would be hurt. I had it on a remote. So, Mary Beth and Angie set the charges under and in the car. Now, both Mary Beth and Angie swear the charges were placed exactly where the diagram indicated. It was midnight and we were across the street when I aimed the remote. My God, I still can't believe the explosion! It rocked Trenton and buildings for blocks. Debris was found two blocks away and it took out 14 surrounding cars. It blew out all the windows in the apartment building except Steph's bulletproof ones although it is reassuring to know they work. It left a crater in the parking lot 10 feet deep and 12 feet wide. There is no way the amount of explosives I used could have caused that and Mary Beth swears she didn't add any pinches at all." I looked over at Ricardo and he had the strangest look - it was somewhere between being green and wanting to laugh.

"Ahmmmm Helen - you weren't the only one who wanted that car gone. Lester and Cal had placed a bomb in it earlier in the evening and then Hector had slipped by and put a bomb and extra explosives in the trunk. Lester and Cal set a timer for 3a.m. I guess your implode bomb triggered my guys bomb and Hector's explosives."

"I didn't know anything about it till they told me. They couldn't figure out what happened either. After a trip to the mats they were all on monitor duty while they healed."

"I'm sorry Helen but, exactly how many bombs have you placed in Steph's cars?"

"Well I didn't explode your Porsche that the garbage truck fell on or any of your other cars. I do have my standards. I only blow up her POS's. It kind of keeps me entertained, and the Trenton fire and bomb squad on their toes. Plus, it usually instigates a confrontation with the little bastard and his temper, a break up and you usually ride to the rescue in your black SUV to hug and comfort my baby girl. If you would just get your head out of your ass and keep her."

"Helen, I think you might want to consider a new hobby or get a new assistant - sorry Mary Beth - by the way Mary Beth your flan is excellent."

"I took her out of the eye scanner last week"

"Hey! That's not fair Helen! Thank you, Ricardo I'm glad you like my flan."

With that Helen's blackberry set off a new alarm. Helen and Mary Beth flew down the steps into her office. Helen started keying into one of her computers. All of her computers were spitting out reams of paper.

"Mary Beth call in Randy and Sally(Sally?) Pete will be here in a few minutes. Put out the alert to everyone This is very critical - Put it down as a Level 5!


	7. Chapter 7

Nothing Is What It Seems To Be

Chapter 7

JE owns them, I play with them, Tom and Mary Beth are mine and I am keeping them

Helen's hands were flying on the keyboard and she was issuing orders to Mary Beth at a rapid rate. Helen was very tense and the normally lighthearted Mary Beth was silent carrying out whatever Helen said. She too was on a computer and had a phone on speaker.

"Helen, what do you want me to do?"

"Have Hector come - it's time to show him some of my toys. He has the clearance and I need him."

I called Hector and gave him and order to have Tank bring him in an unmarked car and park in the alley and come to the back door. The normal time to get to the Plums is 20 minutes. I looked at Helen's face and told Hector to make it in 10.

A hidden door opened in the back of the room and I heard foot steps. "Pete we've got a major security breach being attempted."

Pete? Pete is my handler - Python - Holy Shit! She said we had worked together, How entwined are we?

Python barked at me, "Will you accept this mission with your core group?"

I didn't know what the mission was but I knew Helen and what her specialties were and from the stress I was seeing I replied "Yes Sir"

"Ranger go back to Haywood and get the core team ready. You will be leaving within the hour. Bring everyone else in house we may need them too. I know Hector is coming to help here. When he gets here take Tank and go back to Haywood."

Before I could get up the steps I heard the back door crash open and I called to Hector to come down the steps. He entered the "office" and lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. Helen pointed at the computer next to her and told him in fluent Spanish what to do. He was grinning and answering and I watched his fingers fly over the keyboard.

Before I left Sally Sweet burst in from the tunnel door and grabbed the papers from Mary Beth's hands and spread them out on a long table. Randy Biggs entered the room complaining that National Emergencies should give a greater lead time for the team to assemble.

Helen yelled "Stifle it Biggs! Get to work!"

I took the steps 3 at a time and Tank and I raced back to Haywood. I had called the core team to assemble immediately and to call and get everyone else in house.

"What are we dealing with Ranger?"

"I don't know Tank but Python and Helen Plum are partners and whatever it is it seems to be big. We probably have less than an hour to assemble and dress and leave by helicopter."

"So, you accepted a mission that you didn't have to?"

"Yes, from the little I saw this was definitely for National Security and it is imminent - we will get our briefing en route."

When Tank and I got back to Haywood vehicles were all pulling in we were all taking the stairs up to 3 and 5. We had practiced this constantly and every man knew what his job was. The guys getting off at 3 were loading up weapons and ammunition and other items we would need. They would be carrying everything to the roof to be loaded on to the helicopter. When Tank and I got off on 5 I was barking orders. "Tank, Bobby, Lester, Ram, Cal, Hal and Binkie suit up! Manny and Vince you are in charge of Trenton. If you need any help call my brother Rafael in Miami and have him come up. I'll be in touch as soon as I can." I turned around to grab my vest and go-bag from Tank and there was my Babe.

I grabbed her and pulled her into my office and slammed the door. "I don't have any time to tell you anything except for this - I love you, I want you and you are Mine! When I get back you and I are going to have a long talk. Things are going to change in a major way for us, do you understand! I Love You!" I kissed her with everything I had.

As I was running for the steps to the roof , I yelled again "MINE!"

Babe yelled back "YOURS"

"Don't Go Crazy"

"Don't Get Shot"

Tank looked back and said, "It's about time you took your head out of your ass"

"Well, you are the third person to tell me that today. I guess I finally listened."

Within 30 minutes 8 of us had been shuttled off Haywood's roof by helicopter. We landed at a private air strip and loaded our gear into the waiting plane. Python briefed us on our way.

We would be landing at Ellsworth AFB outside of Rapid City, South Dakota. This would be a night mission. We would be dropped within 5 miles of the target which was outside of Wall, South Dakota and we were going to hike across the prairie. Bobby gave us each a snake bite kit. The prairie is known for it's rattlesnakes. The destination was an abandoned missile site. There was no danger since the missiles had been removed in the 70's. But, the concrete silo and bunkers still remained. An Arab cell had infiltrated and set up "shop" in the silo and bunker. Helen's computers had detected abnormal activity and had to set to work on breaking the encryption codes…we only had till 9a.m. EST to get in and search and destroy the computers and operators before they crippled Wall Street and America's financial System thereby causing a domino effect throughout the world.

When we heard the mission the whole team was quiet. We had been faced with a lot of serious shit in the past. We had done black ops in Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. We had wiped out drug cartels and drug lords. We had stopped gun runners and gangs. The financial stability of the world rested on the shoulders of eight men. I looked around at my men and they all realized how vital it was that we not fail in this mission.

Once these missile sites were our first line of defense against our enemy's missiles and they were buried all over the Midwest and now one of them was threatening to turn around and bite us in the ass. The problem was getting into the silo and bunkers. They had been designed to withstand a nuclear hit.

We arrived at Ellsworth and ran across the tarmac to the waiting chopper, carrying everything we needed for the mission. The MP's surrounding the planes on the tarmac stood at attention as we passed. Lester was fired up, he loved missions and was looking forward to this one. The more firepower we had the more hyped he was. He was looking to beat some ass.

The Commander of the base, Colonel Jeffrey Davis, greeted me. "Major Manoso, We have everything on board you requested. When you complete your mission you will be debriefed here at the base. Be careful of the prairie rattlesnakes and the vipers ensconced in silos. God Speed and good hunting."

We were dropped about five miles from the silo site. We donned night vision goggles and stayed off the road. Not that there was much traffic on the back roads, it still wasn't worth the risk. It would be kind of hard to explain 8 huge guys dressed in black and carrying enough fire power to take out a small city. We made it in plenty of time to set up surveillance.

Python called me on a secure line. "Luck is with us. Hector discovered that one of the group is evidently bored. He is playing a game on line. Thank God for this break."

"The timing on this Ranger has to be exact. Helen is going to send a virus to their computer through a back door. Hector is going to blow the whole electric sector where the silo is, 4 seconds after the virus is uploaded. When their emergency generator starts the virus will be activated and they won't be able to react to it because Helen will block their security. The air inlets are located about a mile away from the silo and bunkers we have aerial views that they are running. Have Cal set off a bomb that takes their air away. He's a mechanical engineer, he will know the best place to place them. You need to place charges all around the silo and bunker so that when The rats abandon ship they "don't" make it out alive."

We didn't have to dig the holes. The prairie dogs have built a city all over the compound. We will just load up their homes with explosives. When the rats abandon ship we will set them off. Ram, and Hal have set themselves up and you know they are the best snipers in the business. Cal is already on his way to set the explosives in the air inlets.

We were laying on the ground praying one of the rattlers wouldn't wander in our direction. Lester was mumbling about developing a new computer game of Chaos in Prairie Dog Town instead of Whack a Mole while he was checking his guns, knives and throwing stars. Bobbie was checking his medic bag and his guns. Tank was checking his guns and grenade thrower. Binkie was checking his guns, dart gun and loaded up the flamethrower. I was going over the plan and making alternative plans if the first one failed. We had a mic check with clicks we were now on silence. Totally focused on the mission that was about to start.

I gave the signal, Cal blew up the air inlets. The lights went out around the fenced area. We sat with our night vision goggles on and waited like a big cat for the rats to make their appearance. The bunker door opened and 8 men slipped out and started to make their way out of the compound. Lester took out the first two with his knives. It's hard to tell who took out the rest between the prairie hole charges and my guys, that got a little carried away, it looked like Armageddon. Thank God Binkie didn't use his flamethrower it was going to messy enough to clean up. We couldn't get into the silo they had set off charges that destroyed all that was inside. We sealed the bunker. Another team would be in to do the cleanup and secure the empty missile silo.

We had only one casualty, on the way back to the site from the air inlets Cal stepped in a prairie dog hole - much to his disgust his leg was broken in 3 places. Lester, of course, thanked Cal and added this to his list of things to happen in his computer game. Cal grabbed Lester and pulled him down and Tank and I had all we could do to get Lester loose. One of these days Lester will learn to keep his mouth shut but, I don't see it happening any time soon.

We were picked up by chopper after the area was secured by personnel from Ellsworth. Cal was taken to the base hospital where they were going to operate on his leg. We decided to wait after the debriefing and fly home with Cal. After the debriefing Colonel Davis offered us a van. He warned us to watch out for all the Harleys - seems there is a Harley rally going on in Sturgis, S.D. He told us a couple of places to go such as Deadwood and see the bar where Wild Bill Hitchcock was gunned down holding his aces and eights, and then go up to Boot Hill to see Wild Bill and Calamity Jane's graves, then Hill City and to be sure to go to Mount Rushmore and make sure we stayed for the night time program . The Colonel shook our hands and nodded to Hal.

The Harley Rally was celebrating it's 70 anniversary in Sturgis. There had to be over 10,000 bikes. We had a great time and ate buffalo burgers and Tank discovered the smoked Turkey legs. He walked the streets looking like a Neanderthal eating his leg. Funny thing - he fit right in.

Deadwood will never recover from Lester and Binkie standing in the middle of the street drawing there guns on each other. Lots of people carry guns on them in Deadwood and almost every truck has a gun rack in it with a gun. But, most of them don't stand in the middle of the street drawing their weapons. I had to have them show their permits to carry all over the US. The Sheriff just looked at all of us and asked "Y'alll wouldn't have been in that little shoot out down by Wall would ya? ." We just smiled loaded up in the Ellsworth van and headed towards Mt Rushmore.

Hal surprised us with his knowledge of the Hills as they are referred to by the residents. Hal had lived here for 5 years while his Dad was stationed at Ellsworth. His Dad was a pilot for the B52 bombers when there was a squadron at Ellsworth. When we got to Rushmore we created a stir when the 7 of us walked up to the visitors center. Yeah, 7 big guys, dressed all in black. The Colonel had called ahead and had arranged for a guided tour.

The guide walked out and stood there and stared. She was about 25, 5'2 and weighed probably 100. Binkie and Lester looked like guided missiles honed in on target. But, Shelly walked past them up to Hal and jumped into his arms and gave him a kiss that would have melted the snow off the Alps.

Hal had been holding out on us, this was his high school sweetheart. We made our way down to the amphitheater. When the show was over the whole place went black. I felt myself tense up. The floodlights on the monument came on and the Star Spangle Banner started to play. I had always been proud to be an American and had served my country in any capacity I was asked. This sight hit me hard and I put my hand over my heart. Tank, Lester, Bobby, Ram, Binkie and Hal all had the same solemn look on their faces. We were proud to be American and we proved it every day.

The guys ragged on Hal about Shelly. He took even more teasing when he turned red. Lester and Binkie of course wanted to know if she had any sisters or friends. Hal told them if she did - he wouldn't introduce nice girls to the likes of them.

In the morning, we picked up Cal from the base hospital, loaded our gear and Cal in his wheel chair into the waiting plane. We headed back to Trenton and I was going over in my mind the discussion I was going to have with Babe after I got the last piece of the puzzle from Helen.

I had 4 SUVs waiting for us at the private air strip. We loaded up all the equipment, Cal's wheelchair and put Cal in the back of one of the SUVs with Bobby riding shotgun. Lester was told to ride in another SUV and keep as far away from Cal as possible after he tried out another scenario on Cal in the Chaos of Prairie Dog Town. Who knew Cal had enough arm strength to propel that wheel chair fast enough to run down Santos and grab him, flip him and punch his lights out. The guys just stood around and laughed their asses off. Santos is now sporting 2 black eyes and a broken nose. Yup, he'll never learn or is it that he uses his injuries to get sympathy from Steph or any other female? Les is always working an angle.

It was late by the time we got the equipment put away and had Cal settle down on 3 in the apartment next to Bobby's.

It was handicapped accessible and would be easier for Cal to maneuver around for the next couple of weeks. Ella would make sure he had everything he needed.

I was afraid that Helen was already in bed so I sent her a text message to call me first thing in the morning. I wanted -no needed to hear the rest of her story. She responded immediately with "Coffee-4a.m?" I sent back

"CU at 4"

…...

Note: no prairie dogs were harmed in the telling of this story


	8. Chapter 8

Nothing Is What It Seems To Be

Chapter 8

JE owns them, I play with them, Mary Beth and Tom are mine and I'm not sharing them!

Thank you to Financebabe for suggesting the demise of John Morelli

…...

"Good Morning - did you like the Black Hills?"

"Yes, I did I also liked the prairie."

"You see some interesting things on the prairie."

"That you do."

"How is your man Cal?"

"Embarrassed that a prairie dog hole did him in and that Lester wants to have a video game of it. He also knows he has months of rehabilitation and monitor duty ahead of him."

"Why don't you let Hector train him here on some other surveillance techniques?"

"That's a great idea, Cal's a smart man, he's an engineer and staring at a monitor for hours on hours will drive him nuts. The problem is he wouldn't make it down the steps."

"What about the elevator?"

"You have an elevator?"

"You don't think Mary Beth and I could carry all this equipment down the stairs do you?"

"Helen, I can't think of anything you can't do if you put your mind to it." She just laughed.

"Ricardo, you need to hear the rest of the story."

"After the Dickie fiasco Steph still continued her job as a buyer for lingerie. She was doing well and enjoying her job till the Federal Investigation - which I had absolutely nothing to do with well, maybe a tiny little bit. Just for your information, I was called in to follow the money trail. She got laid off and didn't tell me. Contrary to most peoples opinion, I do not keep Steph under 24 hour surveillance unlike some other people I know. Steph couldn't find a job and decided to blackmail - yes I know she blackmailed Vinnie for a job. She had originally applied for the file clerk job but that was filled so she went straight after the bounty hunter position. Connie called me to 'gossip' and I pretended to be mortified with the 'Why Me' Scenario. I also put a little subtle hint that maybe she should get 'training' and that would show her that she wasn't fit for the job."

"Enter bad ass Ranger' she said laughing "I knew you were here in Trenton. Pete told me you were infiltrating the gangs. I was working on how they were laundering the money. I couldn't think of anyone better to watch out for my baby. I hoped for fireworks between you two."

"But you both had to be stubborn - you both felt it. Ricardo, you had the 'no relationship' thing going. Steph fought her feelings and fell into the lap of one Joe Morelli her first skip. Talk about a rotten stroke of luck."

"Steph, of course, uses her uncanny ability to find him, lose him and steal his car. Now one of the first things Frank taught her to do was remove the distributor cap so a car can't be stolen. So, I know that's what she did when she took it back to her apartment so that Joe wouldn't take his car back. I don't exactly know what went on in her apartment that night but, I think that was the first time you rode to her rescue. Well, you know how that turned out. She got Joe, cleared Joe and that began this cycle of the on again, off again relationship."

"From the time she was six years old Joe felt she was his. He is determined to have her at any cost. He is obsessed with Steph and not in a healthy way. After, the bakery incident I realized that the reason he wrote his 'conquest' all over town was to serve notice that Steph was his. However, what the stupid little bastard didn't realize was that his notice just advertised that Steph would be easy for any other boy or man in the Burg. Thank God, Steph stayed true to herself and rebuffed any of the creeps who came around and her true friends stayed around to protect her. Eddie and Carl were in the same class. Tom was always around till he left for the Navy. He would call her whenever he had a chance and send her postcards from all over the world. To this day whenever, he is back in town he checks in with her."

"For years Joe has fought the Morelli genes - alcoholism and abuse and womanizing. Joe's father John, was killed in an alley off Stark Street. He had failed to appear after charges had been brought against him for spousal abuse. Angie had landed in the hospital with a broken jaw, cheekbone and a broken arm. This time she pressed charges. Rumor has it that an informer had ratted out his location to a loan shark but, I don't know anything about that." Ranger looked at me and raised his eyebrow I just smiled.

"Angie, Mary Beth and myself thought Joe had beat the odds. I had heard murmurings on the street from my 'informers' about the women he was seen with. Eddie and Carl stopped at Angie's house a couple of months ago and told her they were concerned. They had talked to him about his drinking. He had laughed it off."

"When he started to actively pursue Steph I was alarmed. As I have explained before, Steph always does the opposite of what I want. I know she thought I favored Valerie but, of course I didn't. Valerie was a placid, boring, insecure child. Her greatest aspiration was to get married and have children. I just gave her the tools to accomplish that by teaching her to cook and clean house and sent her to ballroom dance class and gave her a copy of Emily Post, I think of this book as Valerie's bible. She was and is insecure because of Steph's ability to gather all kinds of people around her and make them all seem special, including all of Valerie's ex boyfriends."

"As I have told you before and you have learned by yourself Steph will do the exact opposite of what you want her to do. You never oppose Steph you support her. I, on the other hand, to get her away from Joe 'support' Joe. Telling Steph constantly he is her last chance. This sends her running in the opposite direction from Joe right into your waiting arms. Angie and Grandma Bella are terrified for Steph to be with Joe. That's why Grandma Bella has 'visions' about Steph having Joe's babies. Steph just hears the word Joe and babies and she is running at warp speed in the other direction."

"We all see the cracks starting in Joe and we are afraid that when he has his final breakdown that Steph will be severely hurt. That is why now my 'pushy mother persona' is up and running at an even higher pitch than ever before. I have wanted to make him 'disappear' for years but Pete won't let me. Thank God, you have your men on her watching. I have added my own secret weapon - another shadow to watch over her. He's been on her for four weeks and even you haven't picked him up yet. You will meet him soon I don't want you to think he is a stalker."

"Ricardo, I know that I may have ruined my relationship with my daughter forever, but, I would rather lose her by carrying on this pushy, whining act than let her be harmed by Joe. The undercurrents of his violence is growing and my greatest fear is that he will kill her because he will never have her."

After giving Helen a hug I headed back to Haywood. I called Tank to pull up Steph's trackers. He laughed and said she was on 7. I told him to put two men on Morelli and to put trackers on his car and have Hector slip in today and bug his house and phone.

"How bad is it?" Tank asked

"I have it on good authority he is ready to crack. Unless something breaks I'm offline for a couple of hours I'm beat."

"Yeah, your gonna lay your head on a pillow and sleep with Steph on 7...about time…"

"Tank shut up…you are the 3rd person to - Oh Hell! I'll talk to you later"

I heard him laughing as I hung up.

When I got to Haywood I went straight to 7. There she was-snuggled in my bed holding my pillow. I looked down at my love and thanked God for his mercy in allowing me this piece of heaven. I promised to be a better man and protect and love this wonderful woman for the rest of my life. I took off all my weapons and clothes and slipped into bed gathering her in my arms. She looked up at me and said "Yours" I replied "Mine forever."

I had been awake for over 36 hours and with Steph in my arms I slipped into sleep. I slowly came awake with kisses on my face and whispered words of love. My arms tightened around her and kissed her. When we finally came up for air I said "Stephanie Michelle Plum - Babe - I love you with every fiber of my being. Our someday is today, I want you with me forever. We can do this however you want, we can live together, get married, not get married, have children, not have children, live here, live in a house, live in Miami or South Dakota. Whatever you want, as long as we are together."

"I would love you to move in here with me today because, I don't want to spend another night apart. But know this, if you don't move in here I will be spending the night with you at your place."

"Yes!"

"Yes?"

"For a smart man - do you not understand the answer yes!

"No…I mean yes! I mean…I understand the answer yes! God, Steph I love you so much I don't know if I will ever deserve you."

"Okay Ranger, now that you understand the word yes, let's go on to you showing me how much of yes you are willing to convince me of."

After 3 hours of "convincing" I had Ella deliver lunch and we made plans for Steph to move in with me today. We were going to go to her apartment and pack up her personal stuff, then the guys would come over and load the truck and bring it back to Haywood. Steph wanted to pack her belongings but, I want to help. I sure didn't want Lester going through her stuff especially her lingerie. I knew when Steph saw him she was going to go crazy with sympathy and I knew he would use it to full advantage. I was trying to think of some way to ship him out of town for a couple of weeks before she saw him but, I really needed him to be here in Trenton.

I was on the phone with Tank making the arrangements for the guys and trucks when Steph answered the door.

"Oh my God Lester! What happened? Come in here and let me look at you…Bobby is he all right?"

They walked in and Steph stood there and looked at me with narrowed eyes with her hands on her hips "Did **you** do this to Lester! I don't care what he did look at his handsome face!"

I looked at Lester, 1 broken nose, 2 black eyes and a broken wrist-what the Hell a broken wrist?

"Steph, I didn't do this! Although, he richly deserved it, someone else beat him up."

"Lester, who would do such a thing. My God, did this happen on the mission? Was anyone else hurt? Ranger, was anyone else hurt?"

"Cal broke his leg in three places and had to have it operated on. He's down on 3 in a wheelchair. How is he Bobby?"

"He's still mad and I had to take his wheelchair away."

"Lester would you care to explain to Steph how you got the broken nose, 2 black eyes and I would love to know how you broke your wrist."

"Cal did it."

Steph looked Lester "Cal did it? But, he has a leg in a cast and is in a wheelchair."

"Beautiful, He beat me up."

Steph is now getting closer and closer to Lester. "How and Why did he beat you up?"

"Well, last night before we loaded him into the SUV I might have annoyed him by asking him a question."

"What question?"

"Would he be the star of my video?" Lester then lowered his voice to a whisper "on how a mercenary can break his leg in a prairie dog hole. Then he chased me down the tarmac in his wheelchair and beat me unconscious giving me the black eyes and broken nose."

"and he did this from his wheelchair?"

"Yes"

"Lester" as she steps closer to him "How did you break your wrist?"

"Well, this morning I slipped a sleeping pill in to his orange juice and while he was taking a nap I decorated his cast with drawings from…well he woke up and he kind of objected and grabbed my wrist with the markers and just twisted it."

"So you are telling me that a man who just had his leg operated on, chased you in his 'arm powered' wheelchair, caught you and beat you up?"

"Yes"

"Ranger, I think Lester needs to go back to basic training to get fit again. I think he needs to give up his pizza, beer and doughnuts he sneaks from the bond office AND I think he needs to be put on Grandma duty for the next 30 days."

"Sounds good to me Babe. Lester, report to the gym at 0600 tomorrow, Bobby will oversee your physical training. But make that 60 days."

"Where are you going Babe?"

"I'm going down to 3 to console and comfort Cal. Do you think he would like the rest of my Boston Crème doughnuts?"

Note: a psych evaluation for Lester is being considered to address his need to continuously put his foot in his mouth


	9. Chapter 9

Nothing Is What It Seems To Be

Chapter 9

JE owns them, I play with them, Tom is all mine and I am not sharing

I met Steph down on 3 and checked in with Cal. When I saw Cal's cast I understood his reaction and believe me Lester got off lucky. Good thing Cal's guns had been locked in Bobby's safe. Steph had comforted Cal and he was sporting lipstick kisses next to his flaming skull tattoo, Boston Crème Doughnut crumbs on his shirt and a smug look as he and Steph planned Cal's payback . Steph asked me if it was okay to ask for Louis's help since Cal couldn't physically accomplish what needed to be done. I told her it was fine and I would help too. My cousin needed a lesson and I felt Cal and Steph were the people to come up with it.

Cal also was laughing at the punishment of physical training to get back in shape. He also had some suggestions for Grandma duty.

Note to self- talk to Grandma so she and Helen can really plan for Lester's punishment

"Babe are you ready to go? Hector picked up boxes and tape."

When we got to Steph's place I asked her what she wanted me to pack. She told me to start in the kitchen and she would start with her shoes.

It took about 5 minutes to pack her kitchen stuff. One pot to cook the can of soup so Rex could have a new home, one cookie sheet to bake frozen cookies in times of emergency, 1 cookie tin to store cookies in, 1 bear cookie jar to store gun in, 4 plates and cups, salt, pepper, ketchup and sugar packs from McDs. Good thing we have an Ella.

Steph was on the floor in her closet pulling out her shoes. I learned that Steph has a shoe collection of major proportions. When she got to the thigh high black leather boots with 4"heels, I reverently carried them out to my car - not gonna let anything happen to them. I am personally taking responsibility for them. Steph laughed at me when I came back in to her bedroom and I dragged her up to the bed.

"I like those boots will you model them tonight? You won't have to open boxes to find them" I said holding her close and nuzzling her neck.

"Back to work Batman the guys will be here any minute."

"Okay Wonder Woman what do you want me to pack now?"

"Could you pack up the stuff on the shelves in the living room and my DVDs and CDs?"

I learned a lot from the shelves. Who knew she stored her CD's alphabetically. She has 3 copies of Ghost Busters- 3 copies? I couldn't believe that she has a memory box. In it was a dried rose corsage with the junior prom invitation, a tiara with the banner Homecoming queen, a very well loved Teddy Bear. Her High School Ring, a charm bracelet, a varsity letter for football, Birthday cards from the time she was a little girl. Postcards from all over the world signed Love, Tom, a small bottle of sand labeled Hawaii Wish you were here Love, Tom, a beautiful fan from Japan and a geisha doll with a birthday card Love, Tom. A bottle of Perfume from Paris, a Hummel figurine waving an American Flag from Germany, all said Love Tom. A pair of my broken sunglasses and 4 post it notes that said Babe. Her memories of me are 4 post it notes with Babe and a pair of Broken sunglasses?

I was so embarrassed that there was so little that I had given her over the years for her memory box. In actuality, it hit me like a brick wall that I had given her, the woman I love **nothing,** she had saved the notes and sunglasses that belonged in the garbage. I had given her expensive cars but, I hadn't given her much in the way of keepsakes, that was definitely going to change. I also realized that I despised this Tom who clearly loved Steph and thought of her all the time. I knew, from Helen, he had been in her life for years. The postcards and keepsakes he had sent her over the years said he loved her. I was going to fill her life with memories from now on.

She always told me that she wasn't a reader and I will admit there weren't a lot of books but what she had she had obviously read a lot. I was surprised at the collection of F Scott Fitzgerald's short stories, A bible that was worn and passages highlighted. A book of codes - that got my attention I'd ask her about that later, a Rubiks cube , cross word puzzles and a dictionary a game of Monopoly. Then I came to a box of pictures and more postcards. Didn't Tom have a life? Lots of pictures of her nieces and the MM, a few of us and on the bottom of the box was a picture that had my full attention.

"Babe can you come here and tell me about this picture?"

Steph walked over to me and handed me a bottle of water, looked at the picture and started to laugh.

"Babe, this is the hottest picture I have ever seen of you - tell me about it"

"I have a friend who is in the Navy actually he is a Seal. He took St Valerie out 2 or 3 times and then he stopped asking her out but continued to hang around with me and my friends for years. He was like a big, protective brother. He really disliked Joe and one time Joe was really being gross and vulgar to me. Half the stuff he said to me I didn't understand either did Mary Lou. Tom grabbed him and was beating him up when my Mom came out and stopped it. After that, he really had it in for Joe."

"Well, he decided to join the Navy and I promised him I would write him if he would send me postcards from wherever he was. He still sends me postcards and letters" she said with a smile. "I really missed him. one day I got a letter from him and it seemed kind of down he said he was missing home and all of us so I wanted to cheer him up. Mary Lou and I were working in Point Pleasant that summer so I wanted to send him some pictures of us. I went to the army navy surplus store and bought a sailors hat and an American flag. The next day we headed out for the beach in our bikinis, the hat, flag and a camera. It was a perfect day and we started to goof around I was standing with my back to the ocean, sailor hat on my head and I had the flag kind of draped around me. Just as Mary Lou was snapping the picture this gust of wind came out of nowhere and the flag whipped out and unfurled. When we had the pictures developed I couldn't believe this picture it looked like I had no clothes on and I was just wrapped in the flag naked. I was so embarrassed I told Mary Lou to throw it away I didn't want anyone to see that picture, especially my mother. Mary Lou and I wrote Tom a letter and Mary Lou mailed it the next day with some of the pictures from the beach she gave me this to keep. About a week later Tom called me and we talked for awhile and he thanked me for the pictures and said all his buddies were enjoying them too. He told me one in particular was a favorite and he wanted permission to enter it in a little contest. "

"**And that was how she became the sweetheart of the sixth fleet!" **said a deep voice.

The next thing I knew my Babe was in the arms of a guy who was about 6'6" blond and had blue eyes and he was grinning from ear to ear, Babe was screaming and hugging him. I was ready to pull my gun except then I realized I knew Steph's Tom. I had been on missions with him and his tag name was Shadow. Oh, Helen you are the sneaky one.

"Ranger, I want you to meet my friend Tom! Tom, when did you get back? Oh I can't believe it! This is the best day. I'm moving in with you and Tom is back - how long can you stay? Please, tell me you have a month of shore leave."

"I'm out of the Navy Sweetheart - I'm home for good and looking for a job"

"Tom, if you want to work at Rangeman your hired. I have it on good authority that your shadow skills are still among the best."

He looked at me and his eyes flickered to Steph and I gave a small nod.

"You have a deal Ranger"

Brown, Santos, Hal, Hector and Tank walked in and when they saw Tom

It was a loud and noisy reunion.

"Shit, Santos what the hell happened to you?" asked Tom

Steph said "Cal beat him up last night and he was in a wheelchair when he did it - don't talk to Lester I'm mad at him"

Tom turned to Santos with a feral look "You didn't try any of your shit out on Steph did you because if you did you are a dead man" The air stilled and Lester cringed.

"No Tom, he was picking on poor Cal"

"Poor Cal as in 225 6'4" Cal of the flaming skull?

"You know Cal?"

"Oh yeah sweetheart we were in the Seals together"

The guys looked at the picture of Steph and the flag and then looked up at Steph. Bobby started to laugh "Cal still has this picture I saw it in his apartment on 4 when I grabbed some of his stuff last night. Hell, we've all seen and admired this picture but, we never realized it was you Steph. I guess we never got past the unfurling flag. I think every guy in the 6th fleet had that picture after it won the contest. Dreams were made of this picture."

Now was Tom's turn to go silent and white when Steph turned on him and said "This was the picture you entered in the contest! Oh my God! I hope my mother never sees this picture I'll never hear the end of it!All I'll hear is Why Me! Mrs. Kowalski's daughter never posed for a porn picture! What will Joseph think" Tom and I smiled at each other - he knew the true Helen and hopefully soon so will Steph.

I claimed ownership of the "Flag" photo and soon all of Steph's stuff was out of the concrete reinforced apartment.

"Hey Hal how is Shelly? I'm out of the Navy now do you need help with the plumbing on your house? I worked for Lenny's Dad during high school. How is your uncle?"

" My Uncle Jeff is flying in this weekend to see Clint at the Naval Academy and Shelly is flying in with him. Then we are all going down with him to see Clint and have some Maryland steamed crabs and crab cakes and corn on the cob."

"Is your dad the "General" flying in too?"

"No, he is already here - he's at the house with my brother putting floors in the bedrooms. The house should be finished in the next couple of weeks and the wedding is September 30th."

"Are you having the wedding at the Chapel on Ellsworth?"

"Yup, followed by the reception at the Officers Club. I wanted it on the ranch but I was out voted by the women in the family."

"Hal, I'm moving in with Ranger tonight, why doesn't Shelly stay here. It is really safe now that the new owner updated everything."

"Why doesn't Shelly stay with you on 4 Hal? That would be a lot 'cozier' and since a few of us have met her we could get to know her better" Said Santos wiggling his eyebrows.

Hal grabbed the front of Lester's shirt "Your talking about my future wife so shut your trap or you will add no teeth to your new look."

I couldn't believe what I finally put together in my mind. Hal's last name is Davis, the Commander of Ellsworth was Jeffrey Davis, who had a brother General Hal Davis who had retired 2 years ago. I had met General Davis a couple of years ago. I remember the nod from Col. Davis to Hal after the mission. I had on my core team a member of one of the most famous military families in the United States.

I heard Hector and Tom conversing in Spanish. Seems Hector and Tom hung out on the streets when they were younger. Hector turned to me and said when he bugged Morelli's he found other listening devices and recognized Tom's work. They were arranging it so that Tom's devices would also be monitored by Rangeman and that would free up Tom for more "shadowing" and allow Helen more time to follow some leads she had.

Tom had seen the deterioration in Morelli as well and thought we should sit down and talk to Steph asap.

My plan for tonight however included

1. Thigh high Black Leather boots/w 4" heels

2. The hat from my uniform

3. One Flag

4. One digital camera

5. One rooftop

6. One gorgeous Babe

7. And **NO** Bikini

**PRICELESS!**

Note: Lester is being admitted to the hospital to surgically remove his foot from his mouth. Prognosis is questionable if surgery will be sucessful.


	10. Chapter 10

Nothing Is What It Seems To Be

Chapter 10

JE owns them, I play with them, Tom is mine and I'm not sharing

I was sitting in my home office printing out the pictures I took tonight on the roof. If the guys thought the one taken at Point Pleasant was hot They should see the ones on the roof with Trenton at night in the background. But, they would never see these pictures they were mine like my babe was mine. Tonight had been more than I ever hoped for. I felt her arms go around me.

"See something you like Ranger? "

"Oh Yeah!"

"These pictures are just for you Ranger, promise me no one else will see them."

"Babe, These pictures will be locked up in the safe along with those boots. Only you and I have the combination. But, I will tell you this, in all the missions I have been on and in all the places of the world that I have looked at the stars in the sky I never imagined how beautiful they were till I held you in my arms tonight and looked at them with you. You have complained in the past about my communication skills and I admit I am a man of few words, but never doubt how much I love you. I will try harder in the future to share more of what I am feeling with you, I love you Stephanie."

"Never stop telling me you love me Ric. I don't know what would happen to me if you withdraw your love. I have to ask what is your obsession with those boots?"

"I will never stop loving you and I am not obsessed with the boots well, maybe I am. Promise you'll only wear them for me - but tell me about you and Tom."

"Ric, he is like a big brother"

"He doesn't look at you like a big brother would. I know because I am a big brother and I don't look at my sisters like that. I don't think he has big brother thoughts concerning you."

"Are you jealous?"

"No, just stating the facts."

"Ric, when I was 14 I did have a crush on him. He dated Valerie 2 or 3 times. He was the team's quarterback. I would go to the Friday night football games and cheer like crazy for him. I know I was an embarrassment to him but I couldn't help it and he never mentioned it maybe he didn't hear me. He was so handsome and all the girls would hang around after the game to see him. He would come out with Lenny and Lenny would start teasing Mary Lou. We would all walk home and make plans for hanging out the next day. I would go home and get the paper and read and study the sports page so when Tom and the guys would talk about sports I could add in a thing or two. He would always stop and listen to me, not ignore me. He would always smile at me like I was important to him."

"One day we were out back at my house and Joe came by and was saying these awful things to me. I didn't know exactly what they meant but I knew it made me feel icky and I got really embarrassed. The next thing I knew Tom was beating the shit out of Joe - I mean really beating him up! I don't know how my mother got him off of Joe but she did and she took Tom in the kitchen to clean him up. She wouldn't let me in to help. They talked for a long time."

"After the Tasty Pastry incident Tom acted funny for awhile it's like he blamed himself but, it was my fault, I should have known better."

"Then all these guys started hanging around and making remarks and hitting on me. Tom, Lenny, Eddie and Big Dog closed in around me and scared them off. I wanted to go to my Junior Prom but I didn't get asked to go because I was the Burg's bad girl and you don't take a bad girl to the prom. The night of the prom Tom showed up dressed in a tux with a rose corsage. My Mom and Dad surprised me with the prom dress I had been drooling over at Macy's. My Mom helped me get ready. It was a night of magic for me - I still have that corsage."

"Tom made me feel like a princess that night I will never forget that he did that for me. I'm pretty sure my Mom coerced him into taking me. Maybe Val was right when she told me I was a pity date. I had a great time anyway and with Tom's support I wasn't considered the bad girl of the Burg. Joyce Barnhardt had taken over that position when she was caught on the football field with 3 guys."

"Ric, you know the "Dick" story but it was Tom who got me away from the house and provided an alibi that I was at Pino's the whole time with pictures of a clock in the background. He's always looked out for me and I think he always will."

"Should I be worried Babe?" Next thing I knew she was sitting in my lap and kissing me her hands roaming over my chest and she whispered "want to go up on the roof with the hat, flag and camera and get some daytime shots?"

Toms POV

To see Ranger's face when Steph jumped into my arms was priceless. I'm surprised he didn't shoot me. I've known Steph since she was 14, I was 17 and dating her sister Valerie. My God, how can one girl be so everlasting boring. Valerie's conversation consisted of gossip and the straw that broke the camels back for me was her excitement that she had come up with 17 ways to serve cocktail franks for company. God, I was 17 and looking to possibly score like all horny 17 year olds. I didn't give a damn about cocktail franks . Valerie could put anyone into a coma.

In spite of the 3 years difference between us, Steph was cool, she was into sports, could sit and watch baseball, football and hockey and know all the facts and statistics about the sport and her teams.

I was the quarterback for our high school team. On Friday night I could hear her in the stands cheering me on. I'd get a lot of kidding about my "fan" from the guys but, once they met her she made them her friends also. On Saturday afternoon we would hang out with Mary Lou, my friend Lenny who was the teams wide receiver, Eddie and Big Dog(Yeah he was called that in High School) Lenny told me he was waiting for Mary Lou to grow up -and he did wait. Steph to me was a friend until one afternoon when Joe Morelli started saying really vulgar things about what he wanted to do to Steph. She was so innocent that she didn't even know what he was talking about. That's the first time I found out that I had a monster inside of me and all I remember was Mrs. P. pulling me off of Joe. She took me inside to her kitchen and cleaned me up and talked to me. I told her I would always protect Steph and I had until the Tasty Pastry incident. In my heart I had let her down that day. I should have been there. That bastard not only took her on the floor but wrote all about his conquest all over town and in all the men's rooms. Lenny, Eddie, Big Dog and myself tried to go all over Trenton to erase his message, but it was to late a lot of guys had read it. The bastard enlisted in the Navy and left within 2 days.

Before I enlisted Steph's junior prom was planned and she didn't have a date. Lenny told me that no one asked her because she was consider a "bad girl" courtesy of that little bastard's bragging. So I called Mrs. P. and told her I wanted to surprise Steph and take her to the prom. I showed up that night in a tux with a corsage. Her eyes lit up and her smile made me feel 10 feet tall. Her Mom and Dad had bought her a dress and her Mom helped her get ready. I heard Valerie tell her she was a 'pity' date. Christ, her sister was a bitch. This was not pity date. I was proud to take her to the prom.

When I enlisted in the Navy Steph was so sad. She wrote me every week, she sent me her Mom's cookies. Thank god she didn't send the ones she baked we could have used them for ammunition they were so hard. She stopped being a little sister when she was 18 and sent me those pictures from Point Pleasant, I realized she had grown up and I couldn't wait to get home to her. But, I was a SEAL by then and the Navy had other plans for me.

Joe likes to brag all over town about his time in the Navy. He was a refuse man he "specialized" in offloading the ship's garbage. I can't prove it but I bet Mrs. P. engineered that. My buddies used to rag on him big time. He was always trying to mooch stuff off of the guys. He always complained he never got paid. I was home on leave when he got back to Trenton and Steph ran him over and broke his leg. Before I left town I paid him a little visit. After my visit he couldn't 'remember' whose car hit him. Good thing, because if he had remembered the other break in his leg would have been minor.

Next time I got home was right when Steph discovered the "Dick" nailing Joyce on her dining room table. That girl wields a mean rolling pin and she puts new meaning into swinging a golf club. I stood off to side and watched the "Dicks" stuff fly out the upstairs window. Eddie and Big Dog gave her suggestions on how to make a bigger bonfire. They turned their heads while I spirited her away to Pino's. Mr. Pino went about setting all the clocks back and Mary Lou took pictures hell, even Carl Costanza posed with Steph. Alibi perfected. That night pictures of the "Dick" and Joyce were posted all over town.

I wanted to let Steph know how I felt but she was to fragile and hurt by the cheating Dick. I decided to wait. I guess I waited to long.

I worked missions with Ranger, Tank, Brown, Santos, Hal and Cal. We worked hard and we played hard but, no one played harder than Santos. That's why I was ready to take him out when I thought about him messing with Steph. I had heard that Ranger had a woman in Trenton but it wasn't till I got home a month ago and stopped by to see Mrs. P and she told me.

She knew Ranger was in love with Steph but was always making excuses about his life and no relationships. Then Grandma Mazur and Mrs. P told him to get his head out of his ass. I missed the boat again. Mrs. P. then told me about Joe and how he was starting to drink and get more aggressive. She told me that Joe's mom and grandma were really worried that he was becoming the typical Morelli male and they were afraid for Steph. They were all upping their strategy to keep Steph away from Joe. I told Mrs. P. I would watch over Steph. First thing I did was plant listening devices in Joe's house and I put trackers on his cars and motorcycle

I know Steph always uses this one particular purse so I went into her apartment and sewed a microscopic tracker in her purse. I also put one in her work boots.

I'm meeting with Ranger tomorrow afternoon and I will let him know if he hurts Steph with any of his bullshit I'm stepping in. I'm also going to rub it in That I watched Steph for over 4 weeks and his team never saw me. When Steph jumped into my arms and he realized I was her Tom, He knew instantly who Mrs. P was referring to when she said she a shadow on Steph. My tag was Shadow in the SEALS.

I was taking Steph to the mall when I saw one of the Rangeman trucks go past with a load of lumber in the back. "Babe, do you know anything about construction at the office? I can't think of anything Louis is building." Steph just looked at me and giggled. I have never heard Steph giggle. "What's going on?"

"Paybacks Ranger and it's going to be so much fun"

"Fun for who Babe?"

"Fun for everyone except Lester! We have so many volunteers Cal and I don't know what to do with them!"

Being the wise man that I am I let that go so I could plead ignorance to my family if I had to. I had a greater mission in front of me ...I'm starting to build memories.

Note: During surgery it was found that Lester has a reflex muscle in his foot that is directly connected to his mouth. Surgery unsuccessful - physical therapy recommended along with counseling


	11. Chapter 11

Nothing Is What It Seems To Be

Chapter 11

JE owns them, I get to play with them, Tom is mine and I don't share

I woke up with a smile thinking how stupid and stubborn I had been for so long refusing to even acknowledge my relationship with one Stephanie Plum. I could have had her in my arms all this time. I started to nibble at her neck, when she would start to move I'd stop, she'd go back to sleep and I would nibble again. I had found out that putting my lips on the shell of her ear had the same effect. Hmmm….how long will it take till she wakes up? It took 15 minutes until she started to murmur and do these little stretches. She may love to sleep but I can get her to wake up with a smile if I just spend a little time.

"Morning Batman"

"Good Morning Babe. Would you like to go down and see Santos in training?"

"Yes, but first I have some thing to talk about with you."

"What's on your mind Babe you know that you can talk to me about anything."

"Well, actually it concerns Hal and Shelly. You see they have known each other and dated since Hal was 16 and Shelly was 14. They went to the same high school and church. Well, it seems that they uh.. made this vow in church to ummm.. remain celibate till they got married."

"What! You're serious…they haven't.."

"Nope!"

"God, that's hard to believe. What's the problem?"

"Well, apparently they want to keep that vow and Shelly wants to wear her white dress and have it mean what it supposed to mean. But, it's getting Really hard and they ."

"What? I didn't get that."

"They want us to chaperone them so they can't do anything."

"You're kidding right."

"I wish I were, but last night I walked into my old apartment to drop off sheets that had gotten packed and I kinda interrupted something. They were so cute. The buttons on Shelly's shirt were in the wrong buttonholes, Hal was all red and looked like he was either going to stroke out or pass out.

"I had to bite my cheeks to keep from laughing Ranger. Then they asked that as long as Shelly was here could we chaperone. They have waited so long they didn't want to blow it now." I promised not to say anything to anyone Only to you. Hal's afraid if the guys find out …especially Lester that…"

"You don't have to say what Lester would do. Sure, we will make sure they don't have any time alone. If they made it this many years we can't let 'anything' happen now. Besides, it will be good practice"

"Good practice? It's a little late for us don't you think?"

"Well sure, but if you decide you want a baby and it's a girl - I'll have her take that vow at five."

"Five!"

"With your looks and our hormones maybe sooner and I'll have her chaperoned till she gets married at forty. Yeah that'll work."

"Ranger, you're nuts!"

"I'd say I'm nuts about you but that sounds trite, what I feel for you is way past that. What are your plans for today?"

"Well, first I am watching Bobby torture Lester. Then I am coming back up here with you for a restorative nap, then I am going to Tasty Pastry to take doughnuts to the girls. Then I am going to get my hair cut."

"Restorative nap?"

"When I get done with you during our nap - I will have restored you to your super Batman capabilities after you depleted them last night."

"I didn't hear any complaints last night."

"No you didn't Batman that's why I'm restoring them for tonight."

"Yes, to the nap, Yes to the doughnuts for the girls, No to the haircut I love your hair just the way it is."

"Think again Ranger it takes a lot of effort to keep this hair in such curly Medusa fashion."

You get ready and I have to call Tom and then we will go downstairs to watch Santos in 'boot camp'."

"Call Cal, I know he won't want to miss this."

…

"Yo"

" Time?"

"1400"

"Where"

"Haywood"

God, if Steph heard this conversation she'd have a fit and I would have to undergo another lecture on my communication skills. Hell, I'll make Tom sit with me while she gives it to me or should I say us. I've tried to explain the reason for short answers is 1) it saves time 2) if some one is trying to track you it doesn't give them any time The reason I continue to do it is 1) It annoys the hell out of her and she gets all flushed, her eyes turn into a beautiful dark blue 2)Watching her get annoyed turns me on and I only stop her lecture by kissing her senseless - scratch sharing the lecture with Tom, I'm not giving him any more ideas than I think he already has.

1400

"Enter- Sit"

"Are you now going to say speak down and stay? Do you serve dog biscuits to your visitors?"

"Smart ass"

"Ooooo 2 words"

"How the hell are you Tom?"

"Well, aside from regretting I didn't kill Morelli years ago I'm fine"

"If I thought I could get away with I would have him erased but, he's a cop"

"I've bugged his house and put trackers on his car and motorcycle. Last night I went in his house and put trackers in his phone and wallet. He's got a nice collection of condoms in his wallet. He's been having some 'meetings' on Stark with hookers - 2 in particular. I've got some great photos. I've talked to Eddie, Carl and Big Dog his drinking has escalated and they feel his anger is just simmering ready to boil. I'm going in tonight and bug his brother Anthony and Mooch's house. I will also put trackers on them and their vehicles. If they so much as hiccup we will know it"

"Need any help?"

"Not in placing the devices just in monitoring."

"About that Tom…"

"Don't give me shit Ranger - your guys dropped the ball for 4 weeks I think when this is over I should give them a refresher course. I know you think your guys are the best but I'm better and I just proved that I suggest you take them to the mats - this could have been disastrous for Steph and there is no excuse for that!"

"She's mine Tom"

"Yeah till you fuck it up with the bullshit you hand out. I've been in love with her for years and Uncle Sam has always interfered but that shit is over. You want to keep her - treat her right because if you don't I will be there to take her from you. Steph and I go back a long way Ranger and her and my history is solid however, your history with her is fraught with double talk on your part. You probably promised her a "someday" like you've promised women in the past don't forget I was there watching you and Santos playing.

"That's not how it is Tom. I won't deny how I behaved with women in the past and it may have initially started that way with Steph but that's not how it is now. She's brought me to my knees I love her"

"I hope you do because if you don't I will take her away from you. I am one of your best friends but if you hurt her I will let the 'monster' loose and I will be your absolute worse nightmare - a very painful nightmare Take my words to heart- this is my solemn promise"

"Well, now that I know exactly where you stand do you want to come to work for Rangeman?"

"You're offering me a job after what I just told you?"

"Yup"

"Why"

"Who better to be Steph's partner than someone who loves her as much as I do. I'm not going to screw this up so I have no fear of you taking her away. You're an honorable man and you have been my friend for years. I trust you, I trust my Babe. I don't think she will be able to use her wiles on you like she does the other guys to get out of learning how to use a gun and exercise. You have more trackers on her than I think I have. Will you take the job?"

"Affirmative"

"Good, lets call Steph in to introduce her to her new partner. Then we can include her in the decision of what we are going to do about Morelli"

"Babe, can you come to my office please?"

"She doesn't get come, sit, stay?"

"Shut up Tom or I will set you up for her phone etiquette lecture"

"Oh God Ranger, You are in love and so totally whipped! This is going to be so much fun to watch."

"Hey Babe, would you please sit down."

"Tom, why are you laughing?"

"Babe, You know how you want to have a permanent partner. Well, Tom just agreed to come to work for Rangeman. He needs a partner and I was wondering how you would like him to be your partner? He's also going to need some of your lessons on phone etiquette."

"I would love it! What is so funny Tom ? Ranger, do I have something on my face?"

"No Babe, You're absolutely perfect. Tom is being rude, maybe you could explain to him why he shouldn't be rude in the future - Like what you told to Lester and Bobby just yesterday."

"Ranger, Tom has never been rude to me ever. Why would you say that? He has absolutely wonderful phone skills unlike other people I know. I would be proud and happy to be his partner - there are so many things he can **teach** me!"

I looked over at Tom and he had the biggest shit-eating grin on his face.

I can't believe I thought having my Babe and Tom be partners was a good thing. Smug Bastard!

"Babe, Have you seen or talked to Morelli lately?"

"I saw him this morning inside the Tasty Pastry"

"How did he seem?"

"He seemed very tense and he got really angry when he saw I was driving a Rangeman SUV. He grabbed my arms but Mrs. Beesler saw it and beat him over the head with her umbrella and told him if he didn't let go of my arms she'd stun him in his 'private parts' Then he ran out through the kitchen to the back alley." Steph closed her eyes for a minute and glanced from Tom to me and said "It was the first time I was ever really afraid of him."

Tom looked at Steph and asked to see her arm. She reluctantly pulled up her sleeve and I saw Tom's face tighten. I got on the phone and called Bobby up to my office. "Steph, May I see your other arm?" She looked from me to Tom "The other arm is worse. He grabbed me and shook me really hard my neck really hurts too."

"Why didn't you tell me Babe?"

"Because I knew how angry you would get and I don't think he meant to hurt me. It was an accident"

"Steph, grabbing both of your arms and shaking you is not an accident it was a deliberate act. You did nothing to provoke this. Steph, sweetheart, I've known you since you were 14. Joe has always been territorial but from everything I've seen and heard from our friends his violence and drinking are escalating. Eddie, Big Dog and Carl have all tried to talk to him about his drinking and he blew them off. I think it is time for all of his friends and family to get together and discuss this situation."

"Okay"

"Babe, after Bobby looks at you we will sit down and make a list of who to suggest to invite to this meeting for Mrs. Morelli. In the meantime, promise me that if you need to go anywhere you will have me or your new partner go with you"

"Hey speaking of that Ranger, the guys were telling me that one of the conditions of new partners at Rangeman is that the partners live together in an apartment for six months. I think I heard that there is a 1 bedroom available for Steph and I on 4."

"Not gonna happen Tom"

"But why? It's a rule. I think it would be perfect for Steph and I to live together and get to know one another better than we ever have"

"That rule is suspended as of **now**!"

"You can't do that."

"I just did! My company! My rules!"

"Okay. Both of you alpha dogs return to your corners! bellowed Tank "We have a little girl to take care of. Bobby check Bomber out. I'll stand here and if these two start it up again I'll have Binky here use his new blow gun that is loaded with tranquilizer darts."

I looked over at Babe and tears were streaming down her face while Bobby examined her. "I'm sorry Babe"

"Save it Ranger! I don't want to hear another word from you or Tom! Tom consider yourself on my shit list with Ranger. Bobby let's Go downstairs my neck and head are just killing me. I can't stand to be in the same room with these babies."

Tank bellowed "You two are morons! You better go downstairs Ranger and be with Bomber and listen to what Bobby has to say and while your down there you better get a big serving of humble pie. It won't take long for Bomber to realize she is the next in line for an apartment on 4, unless you want to lose your room mate. You might want to eat a serving of crow as a side to your humble pie"

Both Tank and Tom watched Ranger leave.

"What the hell are you doing Tom?"

"Stirring the Pot. Tank Stirring the Pot" laughed Tom as he started down to Bobby's to check on Steph. His phone rang and Ranger asked him to meet him in the garage. They were taking Steph to the hospital to have a specialist check her neck. As he charged down the steps all he thought of was how he wanted to kill Joe but, he knew Steph wouldn't let him.

When they got to the hospital they saw the specialist Bobby had called. After, x rays and a MRI Dr. Rashid told Steph and Bobby that Steph had whiplash and a concussion from being shaken. Steph had refused to let me in the examination room. Tom and I heard this from Bobby because Steph wasn't talking to us.

Steph and I went back up to 7. I called Ella and told her to fix all of Steph's favorites for dinner including pineapple upside down cake. I helped her into bed and climbed in with her. I gently took her in my arms and apologized for my behavior.

"Ric, you say you aren't jealous then why are you acting the way you are?"

"I don't know - I've never been jealous before I guess, and it isn't easy for me to admit this, that you have so much history with Tom that if I screw up you'll leave me for Tom. I'm afraid of losing you and Tom seems to go out of his way to yank my chain My father had warned me about Cuban men and the jealousy they feel but, I never loved anyone before."

"Ricardo, **listen to me**, I love you and only you. We are soul mates there is no one else in this entire world for me except you."

Oooooooooo

**Note: **Lester reports he was **not** neutered! He wants to thank everyone for the cards, flowers and panties and phone numbers he was sent.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Nothing Is What It Seems To Be**_

_**Chapter 12**_

_**JE owns them I play with them Tom is mine and I don't share him**_

**_Interventions for Alcoholics are one of the ways to bring about treatment. There are many forms of interventions I combined two for the interest of the story_**

_**While Steph was sleeping I sent a text to Helen that I needed to see her as soon as possible. Her response was 'now?'. I called down to Bobby to come up and stay with Steph and then I called Tom. In less than 5 minutes we were on our way to Helen's. **_

"_**What's up?"**_

"_**First of all Tom, we have to stop this crap around Steph. She was really upset and she didn't need to be when she was in so much pain."**_

"_**You're right I shouldn't have brought up the sharing of the apartment. **_

_**I knew that wasn't going to happen. It is just so much fun watching the great Manoso becoming jealous. Why are we going to Helen's beside the obvious."**_

"_**Mooch followed us to the hospital, Anthony was in the hospital. We know this because of the trackers you placed."**_

"_**Steph's spidey sense must have been off, she always seems to pick up that degenerate Anthony. Mooch usually gives her 'creepy' feelings. Mooch creeped her out in high school till he dropped out. I swear to God, Ranger,**_

_**If Joe, Anthony or Mooch touches her again you had better hire a good lawyer for me because I don't think I'll be able to control myself."**_

"_**I'll hide the bodies after we both handle them Tom. We can't let them hurt her. I hope the intervention works with Morelli and he gets treatment. He runs those two morons. They can't think without him. I know his mother, Grandma Bella, and Helen are hoping for the best. I'm not that optimistic."**_

"_**Neither am I Ranger."**_

_**We pulled up out front and there were Helen and Grandma in the doorway.**_

"_**I have to figure out how they do that Tom. Helen's blackberry goes off and she knows someone is coming. She's programmed in something that sounds like its blowing raspberries for Joe. Wonder what she has for us?"**_

"_**You probably have a funeral dirge and I have the Theme from Cinderella when the Prince shows up"**_

"_**Yours probably ribbets like a frog Tom, God knows you're no prince." **_

_**I have to find my driving zone again. My reputation is going to hell I didn't pick up the tail this afternoon because I was worried about Steph and now I just told Tom Helen's blackberry ribbets for him. What is wrong with me. I need the silent Ranger persona back. I need to be a bad ass again.**_

**We reached the door way and right away Helen asked "Why was Steph in the hospital today?" she opened the door and let us in. Sitting around the dining room table was Angie Morelli, Grandma, Grandma Bella, Mary Beth, Mary Lou, and Pete.**

**I nodded acknowledging everyone "This morning Steph stopped in to Tasty Pastry to pick up doughnuts for the girls at the Bond office. She refused to let anyone accompany her inside the bakery. There were two teams of two S****tationed outside. Morelli entered from the back alley door and approached her. He had been drinking, he became very agitated and grabbed Steph's arms and began yelling and shaking her. Mrs. Beesler, who was in the bakery beat him over the head with her umbrella and threatened to stun him and I quote "in his private parts" if he didn't let go. Joe ran out the back door."**

" **Tom and I only learned of this three hours ago at a meeting. My medic ****examined her and called Dr. Rashid and he had her come in to examine her immediately. ****He ordered ex rays and a MRI. Steph has a concussion and whiplash from the violent shaking. She is resting comfortably with Bobby watching over her at Haywood." Pete let out an expletive that would have made a sailor blush, Angie and Grandma Bella cried, Helen went into the kitchen and walked back into the dining room with her glock.**

"**Helen, what are you doing?"**

"**Mary Beth I'm going to have a talk with Joe."**

"**No you're not!" shouted Pete "I am!"**

**Coolheaded, calm, focused Pete, Python to the intelligence community w****as enraged and had lost his famous control. **

"**Helen, Pete sit your asses back on those seats. Helen hand your gun to Mary Beth! The main thing is Steph is alright and is safe. In all my years of dealing with the two of you I have never seen the two of you fly off the handle like that. Now back to business. What are we going to do about Joe." said Grandma.**

**Angie spoke up for the first time. "I want to try the intervention first. I can only hope that there is still time to help my Joey. Helen, I understand how you feel. I love Steph as if she were my own daughter keeping her safe is the top priority. I know we all feared that Joe would hurt Steph. However, I have to at least try to save my Joey."**

"**Mrs. Morelli, Steph, Tom and I put together a list of people who we think should be at the intervention. I have also included a list of counselors who specialize in interventions. You should read them over and pick the one who you feel is the best suited for helping Joe. If you don't mind Tom and I have to get back to Haywood. I want to check in on Steph. Do you want to come Helen."**

"**No, not until I have had a chance to explain my actions to her and this afternoon is not the right time since she is in so much pain."**

**When we got back to Haywood Tom and I went straight up to the 7****th**** floor.**

**We walked into the apartment and the smell of brownies was wonderful. **

**Tom mumbled he hoped Steph wasn't baking them. We heard the laughter coming from the dining room, sitting around the table was Hal, Shelly, Bobby and Steph. I put my arms around Steph and kissed her, she giggled and whispered we were on high alert for chaperoning seems Hal was having a really difficult time Shelly was afraid he was going to 'self combust'.**

**I smiled thinking he wasn't the only one who was about to 'self combust' I just wanted to get Steph alone.**

**Bobby asked me if I had ever seen Steph play with the Rubik's cube.**

"**Show him Steph." Bobby scrambled the cube and handed it to her **

**In 15 Seconds she had the cube in order. We spent the next 15 minutes watching her fix the cube after we scrambled it. **

"**How do you do that?"**

"**I don't know how I do it I just see patterns in it Ranger"**

**Wait till she gets together and talks patterns with her Mother.**

"**Babe, since you have our friends to keep you company I think I'll go down a****nd go over some contracts. Tom, why don't you stay here with your partner and Bobby take some time off but, I'd appreciate it if stay in the building in case Steph needs you."**

"**Not a problem, I'll just go downstairs in the lower garage and see if Louis and Cal need some help." **

"**Ella needs help sewing maybe all those stitches you do for the guys you could help her out"**

"**Not happening Bomber" Bobby left laughing.**

"**Hal maybe you should help Louis and I'll offer to help Ella with the sewing."**

**Ella needs help sewing? What are they planning?**

**Ooooooooo**

"**Steph can we talk"**

"**Tom, of course we can talk. Are you okay?"**

"**No I'm not. I am sorry for this afternoon. I never meant to hurt you or make you mad especially with all you had been through this morning."**

"**Tom, you don't have to apologize."**

"**Yes, I do. Steph I have loved you like a friend and a little sister. My feelings changed when you were 18"**

"**But.." sshhhh I placed my finger on her lips.**

"**Let me finish sweetheart I realize my feelings changed but, because of my job I wasn't here to let you know. I will love and protect you for the rest of my life. I'm happy that Ric and you have found each other, both of you deserve this."**

"**I need you to promise me this right now, don't go anywhere without me or Ric or both of us till this shit with Morelli is cleared up. He's not rational when it comes to you. Ric and I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you. Ric and I have talked and he knows how I feel about you that is why he is asking for my help to protect you. He knows I would give my life to keep you safe. You make him happy and your love makes him secure." **

"**If you ever need me I will be here for you just like I have always been. Now, who baked the Brownies?"**

"**Shelly why?" Steph asked narrowing her eyes.**

"**No reason except you were supposed to resting not baking. Are they cool enough to cut and what is going on with Hal and Shelly? Every time I'm around them I want to get a garden hose with cold water."**

"**Yeah they are certainly hot for each other! The looks that pass between them could incinerate anything that is near. Good thing the wedding is only a couple of months away and they are separated by eighteen hundred miles!" laughed Steph.**

"**Oh these Brownies are great, does Ranger have any vanilla ice cream?"**

"**Not before I moved in, his body is too pure for this evil vanilla ice cream now Ella keeps me supplied."**

"**Steph, next question, what are you and Cal planning for Lester."**

"**To quote you and Ranger If tell you I would have to kill you!"**

"**Have I told you lately Steph that you are a smart ass! Hey, lots of people want to know what you are planning."**

"**My lips are sealed Tom. Ric doesn't even want to know, Les and he are c****ousins and he wants to claim plausible deniability to his family."**

"**While you were taking a nap Ric and I stopped by your Mom's. She had heard about the hospital and Mrs. Morelli was there and we dropped off the list of names we made and Ric gave them the names of the intervention counselors."**

"**Good, when are they meeting?" **

"**I think tomorrow night if Mrs. Morelli can set it up. It can't wait much longer."**

"**Tom, you can't eat that whole pan of brownies!"**

"**Watch me Sweetheart! You can't though, I need to start training you and brownies aren't on the training diet."**

"**Ptuey, don't say diet! You know we have always shared a pan of brownies."**

"**That's before you moved in with 'my body is a temple Manoso."**

"**Share that pan of brownies or I will tell the world your childhood nickname!"**

"**Ah, sweetheart you wouldn't do that or I would have to show that video of you practicing your splits when you were trying out for the cheerleading squad with Mary Lou."**

"**You wouldn't"**

"**You wouldn't what Tom? Asked Ranger**

"**Show you the video of Steph and Mary Lou practicing doing splits."**

"**Oh Thanks Tom now he will bug me and you to see that damn video"**

"**I just came up to tell you that the meeting to set up the intervention is tomorrow at Angie's house. Hey! Where are the brownies!"**

"**Steph, ate them!"**

"**I did not! Why are you asking?"**

"**Because I wanted one and I can't believe that the two of you ate a 9"x13" p****an of brownies. Tom you need to watch your weight if you work for Rangeman."**

"**Tell that to Brown who told me I was 15lbs. Underweight for 6'6"."**

**I groaned internally. I had to watch every scrap of food I put in my mouth. ****Or I gained weight. Now, I not only had Steph who could eat more than the core team together Tom could match her bite for bite. This body is not a Temple it is a Calorie snatching monster. Keep the blank face on and sharpen up the attitude. "That stuff will kill you!"**

**oooooooooooooooo**

**Planning for the intervention**

**God grant me the serenity**

**To accept the things I cannot change,**

**The courage to change the things I can **

**And the wisdom to know the difference**

**Johanna Carr was the intervention coach that Angie Morelli asked to help guide the intervention for Joe. She was a very pleasant woman about 50 with enough credentials to assure all of us interested in helping Joe that she was a true professional with years of experience. Angie had asked 20 people to come to the initial meeting so that Johanna could tell us about the intervention itself and we could determine which of us could be of the most help.**

**First of all she asked if Joe had hit rock bottom yet. We all felt he had not.**

**She said "Good, because usually if they have hit rock bottom they are dead or have killed someone and committed suicide." We all looked and felt shocked by her statement.**

"**I know from Angie that some of you have talked to Joe about his alcohol consumption either individually or as a group. What have been the results?"**

**Eddie told her of his and Big Dog and Carl's talk with Joe and that it had ended up with Joe's denial of a problem.**

**She asked Eddie "Be honest with me - has this affected his job performance?"**

**Eddie looked at Big Dog and Carl, "Yes, if he's been drinking the night before - he comes in to work late, hung over and short tempered."**

"**Any one else want to contribute?"**

**Steph stood up and said Joe was getting violent with her and had shaken her so hard that she had whiplash and a concussion. "I'm sorry Mrs. Morelli"**

**And she started to cry.**

"**It's not your fault Steph. You didn't do anything. This is what we were afraid of and why we are trying to help Joe. I won't let him do to you w****hat his father did to me."**

**Lt. Jack Collins stood up and introduced himself as Head of Detectives for Trenton. "I've had to call Joe into my office twice in the last 4 months. He's been seen drinking in bars on Stark Street during his shifts. I suggested he seek help from one of the counselors of TPD, or seek help from AA."**

"**What was his response Lt. Collins?" asked Johanna**

"**I won't repeat his words exactly but he told me to mind my own business. ****He didn't have a drinking problem and I was just trying to ruin his reputation and career."**

"**Any one else?"**

"**I think Joe is showing signs of paranoia." Helen said.**

"**Why do you think that Helen?"**

"**Because he blames everything on Mr. Manoso, from crime in Trenton to alienating Stephanie from him."**

"**Is Mr. Manoso here?"**

"**I'm here Ms Carr but, I'm not here for your intervention. I'm here to support Steph and protect her in case Morelli becomes violent."**

"**Do you feel she needs protection?"**

"**You see her neck but, you haven't seen her arms."**

**Helen stands up and asks to see Steph's arms. Reluctantly, Steph takes off her jacket, Helen touches Steph's face and says "I'm so sorry baby."**

**Father Ryan stood up "I've known Joe since he was 6. He needs help. I've tried to counsel him but he refuses to let me help him."**

**So let me see if I have everything. 1. Joe is drinking while at work**

**2. He is verbally abusive**

**3. Joe is becoming physically abusive**

**She looks around and everyone nods yes.**

"**Okay, Helen, Angie, Grandma Bella, Father Ryan, Lt Collins, Eddie, Carl and Big Dog I want you to be present for the intervention. **

"**Steph, I am not going to let you be involved. I don't want to take a chance on you getting hurt if Joe snaps since he has already physically abused you"**

"**But.."**

"**Steph, I know just in a few minutes that Mr. Manoso or his friend standing next to him, won't allow anything to happen to you. But, their presence might just act as a catalyst to set Joe off. That is not why we are here. We are here in a calm atmosphere to help Joe. Now what I want is those of you who have been picked to write letters that you will read to Joe.**

**"These letters are important. First of all they should remain calm. No anger at the situation. Just a statement of love if you are a family member or concern if your not. Let Joe know that your are grateful to him such as Lt Collins he is a decorated police officer and has been an asset to the community."**

**"Remember that Joe is going to be angry about this, hearing gratitude or Angie memories of wonderful things that Joe has done should disarm that anger."**

**"Then you need to do a statement of the facts of Joe's negative behavior these must be actual facts not any gossip, and how it affected you. You must also state you are not putting up with anymore. Joe must get help."**

**"Hopefully, with all of your statements echoing the same theme it will get Joe t****o acknowledge his problem. He may ask for help right away. I don't want to discourage you but even though he seems to get with the program. He may not stay with the program. Now go home and write your letters, bring them to the intervention and read them calmly." **

**"Any questions?"**

**"Do you have any statistics on the success rate?"**

**"Depending on the program it can range from 15% to 45% success. Our program has a higher success rate of 65% Our program is an residence program sometimes with drugs prescribed by the doctors such as anti depressants. AA meetings a couple of times a day and working closely one on one with a counselor. Let's hope Joe wants the program. A success is when the intervention works but is no guarantee that it will last it may take several interventions before a permanent success."**

**Note:** **Lester requests that the lady who sent the black lace thong trimmed with red velvet ribbons give him a call at 555 555 5555 to schedule a consultation.**


	13. Chapter 13

Nothing Is What It Seems To Be

Chapter 13

JE owns them and Shares them I play with themTom is mine and I don't share him-sorry

"Babe, where are you going?"

"Today is the DAY!"

"The day for what?"

"Cal is going to pay Lester back today!"

"Babe, you do realize it is 5 in the morning. You never get up this early. Come back to bed with me and I'll skip my morning run."

"I am so sorry Ric but, Louis, Hector, Tom and I promised Cal we would meet him to get things set up."

"When did Tom get involved in this?"

"Since you made him my partner Ric. Why? You told us we had to do everything together so we get to know each other."

"Stephanie, you and Tom know everything about each other already and you are in the Rangeman building, you are safe you don't need Tom shadowing you in my building."

"Sorry, I don't break promises."

"Then I'm coming with you."

"Don't you think I can do this? Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do but I think as the owner of Rangeman, and this is my building I need to oversee everything that goes on it."

"Ranger, you are so full of shit! You don't need to oversee anything you just want to go caveman and claim your woman."

"Hell yeah! You sure you don't want to come back to bed?"

"Yes, I'm sure and I'm sure about a couple of other things. One I love you and you are impossible!"

Steph ran into the bathroom and jumped in the shower. I ran after her and jumped in to the shower too. Well the shower took a little longer than Steph planned. We stumbled out got dressed and headed to the basement. We walked over to the construction site Tom looked up and groaned. Steph was absolutely glowing. Tom glowered and said under his breath

"Can you two just give it a rest and take pity on the rest of us!"

I replied "Nope - not in this lifetime"

Steph reached up and whispered in my ear "If you say Mine - Hal will not be the only one I stunned in the Rangeman garage!"

She walked over to Cal in his wheelchair kissed him on his tattoo and hugged him. "What do you want us to do?"

"Well, the mechanics are all working; all we have to do is move the partitions in place they are numbered. Then fit the top on making sure the holes are lined up. You can then help fill the tank over there."

Ella got off the elevator pulling an old fashion popcorn cart, and pushing her cart with a cotton candy machine on it.

"Cal are you orchestrating a circus?"

"No, Ranger I am orchestrating the most awesome payback in Rangeman history."

"Hey Hector! Are the cameras all set?"

"Si! This will be taped for viewing and blackmail."

It took about 3 hours and everything was set up. I looked it over and said "Cal you are a genius. I know you are a mechanical engineer but this is outstanding."

"Tom, would you like to test it out minus certain activities?"

….and it worked like a charm.

Cal called Bobby "When's he going to wake up? Okay, we are coming up to get some coffee. Bobby said Les, with the sedative he gave him he, will be out about another two hours. Let's go up to the break room and get some coffee. That gives us time to get something to eat, and get Les ready for his adventure."

Two hours later:

Lester was in his costume strapped into his chair. The music was playing, the popcorn was popping, hot dogs were grilling and we were standing around waiting for sleeping beauty to wake up.

"What the Hell!" Sleeping Beauty was awake. "Let me out of here! Untie me."

Cal just laughed "Lester Santos you have entered payback world."

"Ladies and Gentlemen - let the games begin. Ella will pass out the weapons!"

Ella went around handing out "Encounter Bats" Cal had order 4 pair. So eight of us were armed with the soft foam bats. Cal issued the directions

"Out of Pity there will be no hitting on his face in view of his already broken nose and black eyes. All else is fair game."

The motor started and up popped Lester dressed as a prairie dog. The guys broke out in laughter. He went back in the hole Up he popped in another hole. Cal was ready when Lester popped up in front of him he hit him in the head with his encounter bat.

I watched Steph as she played as she called it Whack a Lester, she was smiling and laughing. God, how I loved this woman. Cal rolled over to me and told me he, Tom, Hector and Louis had worked through the night, not to pay back Lestor as much as it was to see Steph happy because they knew how rough the next couple of days were going to be. I watched as she was trying for another whack and I looked around, all her Merry Men were going out of their way to get her to laugh including Lester.

The more Lester yelled the more the guys laughed and hit him. They even started placing bets. The machine turned off everyone was silent. The one partition opened up and Bobby unhooked Lester's chair and rolled him out of the Whack a Prairie Dog game and over to a lift, strapped him on and started the motor. The lift went up raising Lester's chair. Cal showed every one a metal plate about 2 inches square. "Every time you hit this Lester is going to take a bath." After the first dunk scored by Cal, Lester got with the program yelling out challenges, making fun of the guys who missed and laughing every time he was dunked.

After the dunking, Lester was let loose. He ran right over to Cal…the guys held their breath. Les bent down kissed the tattoo and held out his hand so they could shake.

"I bow to the master - your payback was awesome!

I hope there are hot dogs left I'm starving."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Steph is 29years old and I'm sitting here trying to figure out how to introduce her to the 'real' Helen. I know she had a good relationship with her Mom until Steph's interest with Joe began with her capture and subsequent proving of his innocence. prompted Helen's act of pushing them together to keep them apart. I think it is going to be hard for Helen to undo the mistrust that has built up between them.

Helen has to come clean with who she is and what she does.

How the hell did I get in the middle of this situation of dealing with Joe's problems? I just wanted to build my relationship with my Babe and keep Morelli the hell out of it. I'm relieved that Ms. Carr doesn't want Steph there. I know that Steph is disappointed she really feels the need to help Joe no matter what he has done to her. I know one thing for sure I won't be involved in the actual intervention but I will have some of the guys close by. Morelli's tendency for volatile reactions to people is legendary in the Burg. I know Eddie, Big Dog, Carl and Lt. Collins will be there but it won't hurt to have a little extra manpower around.

Part of my plan has to include Tom. He is a definite link to both women past and present. He's going to love me asking for his help in this situation, I can hear his smart ass comments now. My meeting with Tom is in ten minutes I think I'll take a couple of aspirin I feel a headache coming on.

"You're asking me to do what? Your want me to help you reintroduce Steph to her Mom and then help that bastard Morelli?"

"No Tom, I don't want you to help Morelli, I want you to be available in case he goes ballistic and hurts the women we both love. I want us to both take Steph out to dinner while they are conducting the intervention. If we don't, Steph might decide to go to it anyway, sneaking away from us so we don't 'incite' the bastard."

"Oh, so you finally admit that we both love Steph"

"Of course we both love Steph - you love her like a sister now and I'm in love with her"

"I don't exactly think that the feelings I have for Steph have become brotherly Ranger remember are conversation yesterday. The one where I told you I loved her that I was in love with her? Do you think those feelings are gone overnight?"

"Well, they damn well will be or I will see to it that you will be singing soprano in the church choir in Helsinki and your name will be Thomasina."

"Tch, Tch Tch, these violent tendencies of yours must be addressed. Is Steph aware of these? Shouldn't you be attending anger management for the newly whipped macho men?"

"Shut up Tom! Will you help?"

"You know that I would do anything for Steph and Helen. I would, like you, lay down my life to protect them, did you even have to ask!"

"Okay, let's figure out the best way to get Steph over to Helen's house and the rest is up to Helen. Then we have to figure out how to keep Steph occupied during the intervention."

"Why don't we just tell her, her Mom absolutely does not want her to come over and she will be at the door in 30 seconds flat?"

"No, this would be the one time that she didn't react in the opposite direction and she wouldn't show up. My life used to be so simple, I used to give an order, it was obeyed, no discussion, just obeyed. Now, I have to try to figure out from every angle how to get Steph to do anything. The use of reverse psychology by her family has screwed everything up."

"Has it entered that simple mind of yours to forget this reverse psychology shit and go back to where you two were before and simply asking her something and then say please? Seems to me your relationship has always been based on honesty when did you fall into the Plum universe of deception?"

"Shit Tom, I hate it when you are right."

"Yeah, it has to suck for you when I am right, of course when it comes to Steph I am always right and you are always wrong. Stand back Ranger and allow the master to move forward"

"What's the weather like in Helsinki Thomasina?"

Tom and I decided to tell Steph we were taking her out to dinner. We just didn't tell her where. When we pulled up to her house the only one in the doorway was her Grandma.

"Why is my Grandma the only one in the doorway? Is my Mom sick? Has something happened to my Mom?" Steph jumped out of the car and ran to the door. Tom looked at me and I just grinned - "No matter what Helen has led Steph to believe - Steph loves her Mom it was going to alright.

SPOV

Hours later, after a dinner of all my favorites including pineapple upside down cake, chocolate cake and homemade vanilla ice cream I was stunned by all that my Mom and Grandma told me.

First of all, Valerie was my half sister, that in itself explained so much. It was hard to believe that my Dad had been married before and that his wife was my Mom's best friend. I know that my Dad and Mom love each other but I have to admit they act more like roommates and best friends than lovers. I thought that was what happened after years of marriage. It puzzled me because Mary Lou's parents are still "hot" after all these years. To be honest it was one thing that put me off marriage I wanted "HOT" and I couldn't ever picture Ranger and I being roommates. When I met Ranger's parents I was blown away how they kept touching each other and kissing and holding each other. That's what I want!

Second, it was true from my earliest memories I always did exactly opposite what I was told to do. So it made sense, when Mom recognized Joe's mental issues she would push me hard in his direction so that I would push as hard away from him. She would include Angie and Grandma Bella. Even though this was a serious situation it had to be funny for Grandma Bella to whip out 'visions' me having curly haired babies with Joe and me running as fast as possible in the other direction. They loved me and wanted to prevent me from getting hurt by Joe. How could I have ever believed they hated me? One thing I found out I don't run away at having Ric's babies. I just hope they get his straight hair.

My Grandma was my Grandma no matter what anyone said. It was kind of a relief to find out she wasn't the sex craved senior citizen she pretended to be. We all decided to let her have her fun and keep tormenting Lester, a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do no matter what age and Lester definitely deserved what he got. Now part of his "punishment" for his treatment of Cal he has 60 days to watch Grandma. We all laughed when Tom and Ranger offered her suggestions on how to torment Lester. Let's say the thought of Grandma approaching Lester with chocolate syrup, cherries, whipped cream and paint brushes at the Cut and Curl while he was guarding her was just to funny. I can see Lester's stricken face now. Ranger promised Hector would be his partner and have a camera ready. Cal's working on more suggestions.

But, the biggest surprise was my Mom's business. Who would have thought my mother was a genius. She wants me to work with her and train me. She and Uncle Pete had gotten me security clearance. I knew I was good on the computer and was able to

Ferret out and interpret information in ways that others couldn't. I did rely on my "spidey sense" a lot and my Mom believed it was my twin brother who had always watched over me who whispered in my ear. I knew it was too, I had never ever felt alone. In some of the darkest moments of being kidnapped or hurt I always felt his arms around me protecting me. I know he had sent me Tom and Ranger.

I had to laugh when she told me about the housekeeper and she totally blew me away when she admitted that on the days she was busy she would take 3 packages of Hormels already cooked pot roast(which she bought in Newark) and dump it in the crock pot and no one knew it wasn't hers.

She would use instant potatoes, real butter and cream and make them thick like homemade minus the lumps. Hey, I was happy she was passing on the secret family recipes now I could cook too!

Ranger just rolled his eyes and Tom smirked and said I probably would burn them also. Smart ass!

**Lester notes:** Do not let Ranger catch you looking at Beautiful's Ass results from this action are painful.

"


	14. Chapter 14

Nothing Is What It Seems To Be

Chapter 14

JE owns them and shares them,

I play with them,

Tom is mine and I don't share him. Sorry

HPOV

Everyone was in place for the intervention we had all practiced what we had written in our letters. Ms. Carr had gone over the guidelines again of keeping calm but firm, offering support for Joe but no tolerance if he kept on drinking.

Joe entered the room and we could tell from the moment he opened his mouth that he had been drinking. He was loud and belligerent. He was unkempt and the smell of alcohol was overwhelming. Eddie tried to calm him down.

Ms. Carr introduced herself and proceeded to say she and all of Joe's friends and family were only here for one thing and that was to help Joe.

"I don't need your ffing help lady! I'm fine and I don't have a problem."

Lt. Collins started. "Joe we are all here because we want to tell you that we care about you. You are a great police officer and you are a asset to the Trenton Police Department. …

"You Dick, just shut up! Do you think you can con me with this shit! I've read the little pamphlets I'm not some nutcase! So I like to take a little drink once in awhile. I've seen you out at bars like the rest of us."

"Joey, Please sit down and have a cup of coffee and listen to us. We care about you and we want to support you and help you with your drinking. I love you Joey!"

"Sure you do Mom! You loved me so much that you let my drunken father take off his belt and wail on me till my back bled. How many times did your love let him break my arms 3 times. Do you know I took my first drink after he beat me and broke my arm when I was eight years old! It was the only way to dull the pain because God forbid we ask for help and let the neighbors know we weren't perfect. Shit Mom! They could all hear the screams and glass breaking and the crying. Did you love me enough to get me out of this house of horrors. Don't pull the love card on me lady!"

Angie hung her head and said "You are right Joey I failed you. I think you all should go, this intervention is over. Please leave."

We all left. I felt so bad and so guilty I should have grabbed Joey that day when I was there - the day of the choo choo incident. Maybe if I had we wouldn't be at this point.

Mary Beth and I heard screams and then Joe ran out of the house. Mary Beth and I ran back in. Oh my God!

"Ranger, I need your help now. Meet me at Angie Morelli's house."

I softly knocked on Angie's door and it was answered by Grandma Bella. I know most people feared this little old woman but all I saw when I looked at her was a frail old woman who had lived a very hard life. After all, she had lived with one of the Morelli men for years and had suffered through the legacy of alcohol, abuse and womanizing. She had born 3 sons who carried the same legacy. Her hope had been her grandson Joey and from the broken look in her eyes and the bruise on her cheek that hope had been shattered. She pointed into the living room and what I saw made my stomach turn.

Helen was holding Angie in her arms while Mary Beth was kneeling by Angie's side crying. I could hear sirens in the distance.

Helen looked up and said "Get Steph to safety Ranger, do whatever you have to keep my baby safe."

I called Tom and told him to get Steph to Haywood Morelli and finally cracked and had beaten his own mother and hit his grandmother.

Tom was with Steph at Pinos they were having pizza with Eddie and Big Dog who was telling them about the failed intervention. All of a sudden I heard shouting and a gun being fired.

I raced out to my car I kept the line open and used my other phone to call Tank "Surround Pinos - get Ram and Vince into position. Tom is with Steph- have Hector patch into my phone and broadcast it to all Rangeman and TPD.

Tom left his phone on and I could here him say "Joe you don't want to do this. Let all these people leave, let them take their kids out of here you don't want to harm any of these children"

"No, I would never hurt little kids" Everyone can leave but my Cupcake"

"No, Joe you know I can't leave Steph. Why don't you, Steph, Eddie, Big Dog and I sit down have some pizza and talk about this.

Come on Joe just sit down. Eddie, go grab Joe a glass and pour him a glass of Coke out of the pitcher."

"What's going on Joe?" asked my Babe

"You know what's going on! You're with Manoso now - you're supposed to be mine. You've been mine since you were 6 and I was 8! My God, I thought my father was going to kill me that day when he was home and heard your mother talking to my mother. I thought he was going to beat you too but your mother saved you and ran out the door. Why didn't anyone save me?"

"Joey, your Dad was a monster. "

"I'm turning into him"

"No Joe you could never be him! You would never harm a child - you just proved that by letting all the children and their parents go"

xxxxxxxxxx

"Ranger, snipers are in place"

"Tell them to hold fire Steph is trying to talk him down"

My God Babe, I hope you know what you are doing. Please, let Tom, Eddie and Big Dog keep you safe

Xxxxxxxxxx

"My father was a womanizer, he was an alcoholic and a man who abused his wife and kids."

"You are none of those things! You are a good man and you are a good cop!"

"Well, my career just went down the drain I wanted us to be a family."

"Joe, you'll have that family someday"

"Steph, you don't know what I've done."

"Joe I know if you are worried about becoming your Dad you can get help for that and anything else that is bothering you right Tom."

"Absolutely, you know Joe, weren't you involved in that situation last year with the kidnapping of the baby out of St Francis?"

"Yeah"

"Maybe you're suffering from PTSD"

xxxxxxxxxxxx

My God, they are talking him out of this by giving him an alibi and standing behind him and dangling a carrot of therapy .

Please take what there offering Joe

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

"Joe, why don't you put your gun on the table. Do you have any other weapons? Okay, lets get out of here - the Pizzas cold anyway. Steph, you get up and leave your purse and walk out, Big Dog you take the lead out the door, Joe will follow and Eddie and I will walk on either side of Joe.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Hold your fire Steph is coming out first, Joe isn't armed.

Hold your fire!

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

They walked out the door, with that Joe backhanded Eddie and took Eddie's gun before he fell down. Joe grabbed Steph and he put the gun to Steph's head.

"Steph, there is no help for me don't you see. I have become my father. My God, I even hit and punched my mother and grandmother tonight, I have become the monster he was" He called out to Tom "Come get Steph Tom" Tom walked up and put Steph behind him.

"Joe don't do this, we can get you help, the department has on staff psychologists you can have so many choices. Don't do this to your Mom, Grandma and Steph. Give me the gun Joe."

"You've always seen the real me Tom - now take Cupcake to Manoso!"

Tom turned and pulled Steph to his chest so she couldn't see. He backed away knowing Joe had made his choice and he needed to get Steph away.

Joe quickly lifted his gun and a shot was fired.

Steph started screaming and ran to Joe. Tom kicked away Joe's gun.

Vince had taken the shot and aimed for Joe's shoulder to disable him not a kill shot.

Joe was crying "I'm so sorry Cupcake." Steph had her arms around him talking softly to him. Tom was standing vigilant over them ready to protect Steph at a seconds notice. I walked over standing next to Tom, Steph looked up with tears rolling down her face" I heard what Joe was saying, " I have become the monster my father was. I can't stop drinking and when I came here I could hear his words to me saying over and over "You are a worthless piece of trash that should have been thrown out the day you were born. He always said that when he would beat me ..you're a worthless piece of shit - over and over as he hit me. That day when I was eight and your Mom was here telling my Mom what I had done he walked in your mother grabbed you and ran out the door to save you….why didn't anyone save me? Grandma Bella sometimes could recognize the signs and would get me away but more than likely he would come home and lock the doors, then he would go around the house and close all the windows and pull down the shades….oh God why didn't anyone stop him…he beat me till I was 16 and one day I punched him back…then he would attack me when I was asleep and unaware.

Everyone thought I was always in fights but the reason for the bruises and black eyes was my father. He broke my arms 3 times I had no one to turn to we couldn't tell anyone because what would the neighbors think. why didn't anyone stop him…now I am him …please stop me…

I wanted to marry you and have children with you in a beautiful house filled with love and laughter…it's not your fault you didn't love me you probably looked into my soul and saw the monster I was becoming….my God, what have I done. Yesterday I grabbed you and shook you, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Dear God, how could I have hurt you? I love you I have loved you since you were six years old and you had those long pony tails with pretty ribbons in them. I still have a couple of the ribbons. One year you gave me a little Valentine Card that you made I still have that card. I have loved you for so long I don't know how to stop except to go away and not see you and get help. I was enraged after the intervention. They all tried to talk to me. I went back home and my Mom tried to talk to me again and I just hit her…she is a saint for all the years she put up with my father and instead of holding her and thanking her for all the years I pushed her away and grandma Bella tried to catch her and she fell…please help me God, please help me…

I looked down at Joe. He was no longer my adversary he was a broken man. He had suffered for years as a child the unimaginable horrors of physical and verbal abuse yet he had never fallen into those patterns of abusing any child in fact he was known around the department for having a soft spot for kids. Steph had told me many times how he always carried stuffed animals to comfort the kids when he went to a homicide. We all have demons and Joe had carried his with him for years till he couldn't contain them. Inside he was a little boy wondering why nobody came to save him.

"Steph, Joe really needs help and he is asking for it can I talk to him?"

She nodded her head and I got closer to Joe. "Joe, lets call Ms. Carr who deals with problems like yours. Let me call her and have her come here and talk to you Okay?"

He didn't answer but nodded his head yes.

Ms. Carr arrived and spent 15 minutes with Joe, she explained after he had his gunshot treated he needed to voluntarily come with her to her rehabilitation clinic.

The first month they would go about drying him out and start him on the Alcoholics Anonymous program and they would start delving into the abused little boy and helping him come to terms with that. She said it would take a long time in therapy but she would help him through it. She told him he had hope. He looked up at her and whispered "You can fix me?"

Ms. Carr looked at him and smiled and said "with our help you will fix yourself"

The ambulance arrived and the paramedics hooked Joe up to IV's

There were cop cars everywhere. It was a very quiet crime scene.

The police were taking statements from everyone. Vince was giving his statement and was told he would not be charged. The ambulance left with Joe. Lt. Collins walked over to us and said no charges were being filed as long as Joe stayed in rehabilitation.

I watched Steph's face as it transitioned from one emotion to another. She stood up and I went to touch her. I needed to hold her and reassure myself that she was alright. But, she looked at me and said "Not now Ranger - just give me time" and she walked away - from me.


	15. Chapter 15

Nothing Is What It Seems To Be

Chapter 15

JE owns them, I play with them

a/n Thank you to all of you who came along for the twists and turns of this story, after this chapter will be an epilogue. I hope you enjoyed the ride! In response to your requests I am going to post "Lester's Notes" for some fun.

SPOV

The hardest thing I have ever done in my life was to walk away from Ric. I wanted so desperately to throw myself in his arms and have him hold me. I wanted to enter the Land of Denial once again and pretend nothing had happened but, I knew the Land of Denial was no longer my sanctuary. It was closed to me forever because in the last 24 hours almost everything I knew about my family and Joe was an illusion. It all culminated when Joe pressed the gun to my head and for a fleeting moment the fear that my dream of being with Ric, loving Ric and having his children was just a dream and would never come to be. I knew Tom was behind me and that he would witness this and he would live with the guilt that he had not been able to save me from Joe. I regretted not finding the perfect woman for Tom. I regretted not building a new relationship with my mom, telling my Grandma she had my love and admiration all of my life….there was so many things to regret. ..Then I was in Tom's arms and he cradled me in his chest so I couldn't see anything while he walked us away from Joe and then the shot. It was so loud and time stood still until Tom let me go.

I rushed to Joe and knelt by his side, Tom kicked the gun away and handed me some towels from Pino's to press into Joe's shoulder.

I listened to Joe and my heart broke. I never knew of the horror of his childhood, his hopes and dreams to create the dream he had held onto his whole life from the time he was a little boy and the heartbreak of never being able to attain that. I listened to him with the realization that I had failed him and that I had been so selfish that I hadn't learned about the true man.

I just needed time to think, time to come to grips with my failures and time to lay them to rest, I needed time to embrace the fact that I had been given a second chance. I knew I had hurt Ric by walking away but I knew he deserved a strong woman who wanted to spend the rest of time with him. I just needed time…

RPOV

I was in my office making an attempt of going over the paperwork that was stacked on my desk. My mind kept drifting back to last night and how close I came to losing the love of my life.

I remember her face and her eyes as she tried to take in what had happened, how they had transitioned from fear, to understanding, to acceptance and then to something I couldn't define was it anger, disappointment or was it the end of us. When Joe was taken away, all questions answered she stood up and walked away - away from me. I called to her and she turned around and looked at me and said "Not now Ranger - just give me time."

I know she spent the night at Mary Lou and Lenny's house. I resisted the urge to call her after finding out where she was and that she was safe. When I got to Haywood I went up to 7. I wandered around looking at the changes that she had made. Pictures of us, Julie, and the guys, a throw on the couch, floor pillows stacked in front of the fireplace, Rex on his wheel doing his nightly run to get buff, the brown bear cookie jar - now holding the contraband butterscotch krimpets.

In our bedroom her can of hairspray on the night stand, the holdover from her childhood, table ready for monster repelling, the smell of sunshine from her belongings, the big bed with the soft sheets she loved so much. In the bathroom was a variety of hairbrushes, scrunchies, hair combs, makeup and all her lotions, or as she would call them potions, to help her skin look beautiful.

I had opened the safe to put my weapons away and took out the engagement ring that was waiting for the right moment and her boots. Memories of her in the thigh high boots filled my mind. In those boots she was the ultimate seductress, A slight teasing lift to her lips, her eyes smoldering as she would walk to me swinging her hips, her arms wrapping around me…I slid to the floor holding the ring and the boots wondering if she would come back to me.

These were all possessions that went into the equation of memories. Every place I looked I held a memory of her. Of us.

The couch where we snuggled up under the throw. The kitchen where everything she tried to bake ended up burnt or hard as a rock. I remember coming home a couple of nights ago and she was proudly standing in the kitchen with her oatmeal cookies. She told me she made them for me that they were healthy, oats, whole wheat, nuts, honey, raisins etc it was to make up for Tom and her eating the whole pan of brownies. She proudly offered them to me and I took one and popped it in my mouth and I tried to chew but my teeth wouldn't penetrate the cookie, I chomped down harder-nothing. What should I do?

I couldn't spit it out, I couldn't swallow it, and so I stood there with it in my mouth hoping for a miracle. Tom walked in, looked at Steph, looked at the plate of cookies she was holding and at me standing there with obviously something in my mouth and he burst out laughing. Steph offered him a cookie and he politely declined still looking at me and laughing harder. Steph looked puzzled, picked up a cookie and tried to take a bite but her teeth wouldn't break anything off. Tears rolled down her cheeks, "its okay Ranger you can spit it out you won't hurt my feelings. It's not my fault I really tried" I took the cookie from my mouth, gathered Steph into my arms and wiped her tears.

By this time Tom was leaning against the wall next to the glass cabinets. "Sorry Sweetheart but your cookies have always been a little hard to swallow."

Steph took the cookie that was still in her hand and threw it at Tom. It bounced off his shoulder, hit the glass door of the cabinet and broke it - no shattered it is a more likely description. The three of us just stared at the broken glass and Steph started to laugh "Now that was my fault."

We had been living together for such a short time but this home she created was full of memories. I promised I would give her time.

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I looked back down and I was still holding the unopened report I had picked up over an hour ago. I heard the elevator ding, followed by absolute silence, not a word or a whisper. I heard soft footsteps

I looked up and there she was, curly hair, red lipstick, blue halter top, short, short denim skirt and thigh high black leather 4" heel boots. I looked into her amazing blue eyes and down at the bootsAnd up to her eyes again and said "Mine"

She smiled and said "Yours"

I jumped up, threw her over my shoulder and ran for the stairs.

Lester turned to Tom and said "What the hell was that?"

Tom laughed and replied "Foreplay Les, Foreplay"


	16. Chapter 16

Nothing Is What It Seems To Be

Epilogue

JE Owns them and fortunately for us she lets us share them

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Who are they?

They are the people who are waiting

Who are they waiting for?

You

Why are they all walking around?

Because you are late

How late are we?

Two weeks

Why are we late?

Because you haven't wanted to leave me but, it is time for you to go

But we don't want to

You have to

Will you come with us?

No, I can't come with you

Why?

Because I can't come with you but I will always be with you

That doesn't make any sense

No my loves, but trust me I will always be with you

How will we know you are with us?

Because I will be watching over you, loving you, guiding you and Whispering in your ears.

Whispering in our ears?

Your Mommy calls it her "spidey" sense

What do you call it ?

A son, a brother, an uncle, a guardian angel who watches over all of you with love.

Ricardo William Manoso 5 lbs. 4 oz. 19 inches

Emily Helen Manoso 4 lbs. 12 oz. 18 inches

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Proud Parents - Stephanie and Ricardo Manoso

Proud Grandparents - Helen and Frank Plum and Maria and Ricardo Manoso

Proud Great Grandmothers - Edna Mazur and Rosa Manoso

Proud Uncles - Tom, Tank, Lester, Bobby, Hal, Cal, Hector, Ram, Vince, Binkie, Zero, Zip, Woody and Manny

The End

Thank you for all your support and encouragement. Please join me for Lester's Notes, which are the result of your requests for more Lester craziness.

Susan


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